Click here for a listing of additional academic competitions available to UC Merced undergraduate students.
Strauss Scholarship
https://www.straussfoundation.org/
Click here for the November 2022 Information Session Recording
Campus Deadline: Friday, February 10, 2023
The Donald A. Strauss Scholarship provides a $15,000 award, consisting of a $7,000 scholarship and an $8,000 project grant. Applicants must be sophomores and juniors who will use the grant to pursue a self-initiated public service project during the year after winning the award. The project may be a new undertaking or an extension of an existing project. The Strauss Foundation annually awards the scholarship to students from twenty-two eligible California institutions, including UC Merced.
Eligibility Requirements
- full-time sophomore or junior
- have a GPA in the upper third of class
- have outstanding leadership potential
- have a passion for social change, public service or social entrepreneurship
Selection Criteria
- Projects will be selected by a committee of UC Merced faculty and staff, based on the following criteria
- Project
- Demonstrated connecting between project and applicant's passion
- Innovative and timely approach to addressing important issues
- Realistic in scope, implementation and timeline
- Clear articulation of intended impact and measures of success
- Sustainable and designed to continue after initial implementation
- Applicant
- meets class and GPA requirements
- will graduate no earlier than June 2024
- demonstrated interest in public service, social change or social entrepreneurship
- commitment to positively impacting local, regional or national communities
- leadership potential
- effective communication skills
- Project
Additional guidance about expectations for projects can be found here: https://www.straussfoundation.org/what-we-are-looking-for.
Application Process
Campus Deadline: Friday, February 10, 2023
- Application summary
- Resume (one page) that includes current and past public service
- Personal Essay (one page)
- Project Proposal (4 pages, including budget and timeline, more at https://www.straussfoundation.org/resources-for-applicants)
- Two or three letters of recommendation
- Transcript (unofficial or photocopy are acceptable)
- Acceptance agreement
All materials should be submitted through the 2023-2023 UC Merced Strauss Scholars Form, with the exception of letters of recommendation which may also be submitted from authors to akimble@ucmerced.edu. All materials, including letters of recommendation, must be received no later than Friday, February 10, 2023.
Resources for Applicants
- Strauss Foundation Website (https://www.straussfoundation.org/)
- Resume Support: Center for Career and Professional Advancement (https://hire.ucmerced.edu/)
- Personal Essay/Proposal Writing Support: University Writing Center (https://writingcenter.ucmerced.edu/)
- Other questions: Alisha Kimble, Assistant Dean-Division of Undergraduate Education (akimble@ucmerced.edu)