The Commonwealth
“Good Citizen” Scholarship
GUIDELINES
Description & Purpose:
The Good Citizen Scholarship is made possible by two endowments established at the
Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP). These
scholarships are reserved for students who have shown an extraordinary commitment to
community service and who have demonstrated creativity in shaping their volunteer activities.
The selection committee takes great pleasure in choosing scholarship recipients from among the
wonderfully talented, caring students attending our member institutions. Each year the choices
are difficult, but the results – empowering students to serve their communities – are well worth
the effort.
Amount of Award:
There will be twelve (12) scholarships awarded for $2,500 each.
Qualifications for the Commonwealth Good Citizen Scholarship:
Each applicant must be a full-time undergraduate student with an extraordinary commitment to
community service and who has demonstrated creativity in shaping his/her volunteer activities.
The student must also attend a school that is a member of the Association of Independent
Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania. There is no minimum GPA requirement for this
scholarship; GPA will be considered only in the event of a tie.
Selection Process:
Each institution is asked to select one application to submit to AICUP for the competition.
(Please do not advise students to send their applications directly to AICUP as they will not be
accepted.) Along with the completed applications and required essay, students are encouraged to
submit a copy of their transcript, a letter of recommendation, and any other materials that they
feel will be helpful to the committee in making their decision. All applications must be signed by
the student. Only complete applications will go to the selection committee. The members of the
committee will read each application and select the recipients.
Applications must be submitted via the ShareFile link your institution was provided no later
than Friday April 24, 2020. ShareFile allows us to securely receive and process these
documents. If you have any questions about this submission process, please contact Casey
Trinkaus at trinkaus@aicup.org
. Please do not mail the selected application or submit them via
email.
Notification:
We will notify each recipient by mail in July. Those applicants who were not selected will also
receive notification by the end of July. We will send the check to the Financial Aid Office at
each recipient’s school by the end of August with instructions to apply the money to the recipient’s
account. Recipients should notify the school’s Financial Aid Office immediately if the money is
not applied to their account.
The Commonwealth “Good Citizen” Scholarship
Application
(Please PRINT or TYPE)
Page 1 of 3 – Please complete both pages of the application and see the essay requirements on page 3.
I. General Information
Full Name:
First M.I. Last
Current Address:
City:
State:
Zip:
Permanent Address (if different):
City: State: Zip:
To which address should we mail information regarding this scholarship?
Student Phone Number:
Student Campus Email Address:
II. Academic Information
College/University Currently Attending:
Major: Minor:
Cumulative GPA:
GPA in major:
Expected Date of Graduation: /
Please check one: Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior
Release Authorization
I certify that to the best of my knowledge this information is true, complete and accurate. I
authorize the release of information to confirm and/or verify this application, and I authorize
AICUP to use a quote or sentence from my essay in any AICUP publications (such as a
newsletter or donor report), understanding that AICUP will try to notify me of any such use prior
to its publication.
Student Signature
Date:
Authorization of Student Nomination
Each institution is asked to select one application to submit to AICUP for the competition.
Applications must be sent to AICUP from the Financial Aid Office. Applications sent directly
to AICUP from students will be refused. The information below must be completed by the
Financial Aid Officer. By completing the information below the Financial Aid Officer is
nominating the above student for consideration of the Good Citizen Scholarship.
Name of Financial Aid Officer (please print):
Name of College/University:
Phone: Email Address:
Signature: Date:
Application Deadline is Friday, April 24, 2020.
(NOTE: Your college/university may have an earlier internal deadline.)
click to sign
signature
click to edit
click to sign
signature
click to edit
Essay Requirement
Please write a brief essay describing your college experience, and focusing upon the answers to
the following:
What volunteer/extracurricular activities do you participate in, either on or off campus?
How do your community service activities relate to your major and what leadership
roles have you taken on?
What are your career/academic goals upon graduation?
How will you remain involved in your community upon graduation?
Please read the following guidelines to use when writing your essay. These guidelines were
created so that the reading of essays can be done as efficiently as possible and failure to follow
these guidelines could mean that you will not be considered for the “Good Citizen” Scholarship.
Limit essay to two (2) double-spaced pages.
You must have 1-inch margins (left, right, top & bottom).
Use a font that is easily readable and the font must be set no smaller than 11.
In addition to the application and required essay, you are encouraged to include any additional
information that you feel will be helpful in choosing you as a recipient of the Commonwealth
Good Citizen” Scholarship (i.e. college transcripts, letters of recommendation, etc.)
Completed applications should be returned to your Financial Aid Office.
The Financial Aid Office will then select one application to submit to AICUP for the
competition. If you have any questions, please feel free to call Casey Trinkaus at (717) 232-8649,
ext. 232, or send an email to trinkaus@aicup.org. If you would like more information about the
Association, you can visit our website at www.aicup.org
GOOD CITIZEN SCHOLARSHIP FAQ
Q. Does the student have to be a US Citizen?
A. No, the student does not have to be a US Citizen.
Q. Can the student be a freshman?
A. Yes, the student can be a freshman.
Q. Can the student be a graduate or first professional student?
A. No, the student must be an undergraduate student.
Q. Can the student be a part-time student or registered for only half the year?
A. No, the student must be enrolled full-time. A student who will only be registered for part
of the year (e.g., one semester) is eligible as long as they will be a full-time student for
that semester.
Q. Can the scholarship be held while a student is studying abroad for a semester?
A. Yes, as long as the student remains registered as a full-time student at the institution
concerned.
Q. When can we expect to receive the scholarship money and to whom on campus is the
money sent?
A. You can expect the money to be forwarded to your Financial Aid Office around mid-August.
Q. Can a previous recipient of the Good Citizen Scholarship apply again?
A. Yes, as long as the student is listed as a full-time undergraduate student. Special
consideration will not be given because the applicant won a previous year.
SCHOLARSHIP
OPPORTUNITY
Commonwealth “Good Citizen” Scholarship
Who is eligible: All full-time undergraduate
students attending one of AICUP’s institutions,
who has an extraordinary commitment to
community service and who has demonstrated
creativity in shaping his/her volunteer activities.
How to apply: Applications are available at the
Financial Aid Office. Return completed
applications to your Financial Aid Office for
submission to AICUP. Please note that students
should not send applications directly to AICUP-
they will NOT be accepted.
Deadline to apply: Applications must be received
by AICUP from your financial aid office no later
than Friday, April 24, 2020 to be considered.
NOTE: Check with your Financial Aid Office for
any internal deadlines you must meet.
The Commonwealth “Good Citizen Scholarship is funded through two endowments
provided by the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania
(AICUP).