The 2015 Community Foundation of Mount Vernon & Knox County Scholarship Program is officially underway with the release of a redesigned and streamlined “Universal Application,” for both traditional and non-traditional students.

In 2014 more than $680,000 in college scholarship assistance was awarded by the Community Foundation, and that amount is expected to be exceeded in 2015. The application deadline of March 2, 2015, applies to Knox County graduating high school seniors, and Knox County students already enrolled in college, as well as adult students who are seeking re-entry into the workforce or re-training for an alternate career.

There are also a few graduate programs, particularly in the medical and veterinary fields, that qualify for scholarship assistance. A few scholarship programs, such as the Carlos Watkins  Scholarships for First-Knox National Bank employees, and the Harold W. Smith Family Scholarships for Utica High School graduates, do not require Knox County residency.

The Universal Scholarship application replaces both the “Traditional Student Scholarship Application” and the “Special Scholarship Application” that were in use for several years. For 2015 a complete FAFSA Student Aid Report (SAR) must be submitted to be considered for any need-based scholarships. The FAFSA Student Aid report may be omitted if applying only for merit-based awards.

Detailed information and the new Universal Scholarship Application itself is available on the Community Foundation website: www.knoxcf.org under the Grants and Scholarships tab.

Awards are typically announced at area high school senior awards ceremonies scheduled for mid to late May. Current college students and adult applicants will be notified of application results by mail in May.

Those interested in the Ariel Corporation Employees Scholarship Program, administered by the Community Foundation, will find a separate application on the Ariel Corporation website in the coming weeks.

Questions about the Community Foundation of Mount Vernon & Knox County Scholarship Program may be addressed to Executive Director Sam Barone by calling 740.392.3270 during business hours or sending an email to [email protected].