AARP Foundation Announces Third Annual Women's Scholarship Program

By: State: Michigan | Source: AARP.org

The AARP Foundation announced a call for entries to its third annual Women's Scholarship Program. The scholarships will provide funds to women 40+ who are seeking new job skills, training and educational opportunities to support themselves and their families.

"The AARP Foundation is pleased to be offering the Women's Scholarship Program again this year," said Michigan State Director Steve Gools. "AARP Foundation is committed to elevating opportunities for women. Since its beginning the program has provided valuable resources that enabled more nearly 350 deserving women to have access to the educational tools to advance their professional goals."

While many individuals benefit from the work of the AARP Foundation, research shows that women are disproportionately at risk of having insufficient resources in the second half of their lives due to lower earning and different work patterns. The AARP Foundation first announced the Women's Scholarship Program in August of 2007 to help women 40+ overcome financial and employment barriers by allowing them to participate in education and training opportunities they could otherwise not afford.

The scholarship program is made possible by the AARP Foundation with generous support the AARP Foundation Women's Leadership Circle. Scholarships are available to eligible individuals with moderate to lower incomes and limited financial resources. To be eligible for the scholarships, applicants must:

• Be female age 40 or over (as of March31, 2009);
• Be able to demonstrate financial need; and
• Be enrolled in an accredited post-secondary school or training program within 6 months of the scholarship award date.

The program is especially trying to help: 1) women raising children of another family member (such as grandparents raising grandchildren, or those raising siblings or nieces/nephews); 2) women who have been out of the workforce for an extended period of time; and 3) women in dead end jobs (those with no opportunity for advancement, low pay and lacking either health or retirement benefits).

Scholarships may be used for any course of study at a public or private secondary school, including community colleges, technical schools, and four-year universities. Funds are payable to the institution and may be used to pay for tuition, fees, and books.

Interested applicants can submit their application online beginning February 3, 2009 at aarpfoundationwlc.org. The application process closes on March 31, 2009 and scholarships will be awarded in early summer 2009.

Scholarship winners will be chosen by an independent selection committee established by the AARP Foundation. They will be chosen on the basis of financial need, personal circumstances and achievements, educational goals, and the likely impact of the scholarship on their lives and their families and communities. The Foundation will award up to 100 scholarship awards ranging from $500 to $5,000, depending on financial need and the cost of the education or training program.

For more information about the AARP Foundation, please log on to aarp.org/foundation.