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Academic Competitions

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

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

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