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Scholarship Reader
 

Organization: Central Valley Scholars 

Location: Virtual 

Position Type: Volunteer  

Stipend: $150

Duration: June 10, 2023 - June 24, 2023 (Two Weeks) 

 

 

About Central Valley Scholars 

 

Central Valley Scholars (CVS) is a community-based organization led by first-generation, queer, Students of Color, with a mission of creating accessible pathways towards higher education for historically impacted communities in the Central Valley. CVS strategy focuses on creating critical, conscious, and realistic perspectives on higher education; with an emphasis on how systemic forms of oppression affect undeserved students' academic trajectories. CVS fosters equity by providing workshops, scholarships, mentorship (themtorship), and specialized programming for students to achieve the education they deserve.

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About Our Scholarships

 

As we embark on the fourth year of our scholarship program, we continue to reflect, renew, and embrace the beauty and power that comes from a painful history. At the founding of our scholarship fund was a mission to bring value to stories most dismissed in educational spaces, not because they lack potential or knowledge, but due to educational systems merit-based selection practices that are rooted in elitism, white supremacy culture, and a myth of meritocracy. So instead, we’ve created a scholarship curriculum that is centered on storytelling. 

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For the 2023 application cycle, are proud to offer $30,000 in scholarships for Central Valley students, and are eager for the learnings, love, and power we will gain from our collective stories. To learn more about our scholarships, please read our 2023 Scholarship Announcement Letter or visit our Scholarships page. 

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We are selecting 15-17 students for the following scholarships: 

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  • $1,500 First-Generation Scholarship (Two Selected)

  • $1,500 Undocumented Scholarship (Two Selected)

  • $1,500 LGBTQIA+ Scholarship (Two Selected)

  • $1,500 Disability Scholarship (Two Selected)

  • $1,500 Black Student Scholarship (Two Selected)

  • $1,500 Student Parent Scholarship (Two Selected) 

  • $1,500 Woman of Color Scholarship (Two Selected)

  • $1,500 Justice Impacted Scholarship (Two Selected)

  • $6,000 Inspire Award (One Selected)


Responsibilities 

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As a scholarship reader, you will be expected to select scholarship recipients based on our organization's mission and values. While we unfortunately cannot award all students, we hope to be very intentional with the students we do select. You will be selecting recipients based on identity, need, and potential for growth, and exclude traditional markers of success (e.g GPA, Valedictorian status, prestige of school admitted into, etc.) from consideration.

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A training will be provided giving more information on our values, your responsibilities, the scholarship questions and rubric, and mental health resources while reading students' stories.

We are selecting a maximum of three readers per scholarship. The number of applications required to read varies amongst different scholarships, and the applications will be distributed evenly amongst readers. For example, if there are 90 applications, each of our readers will be required to read 30.

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All meetings and communication will be held virtually, primarily through zoom. 

 
Important Dates

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Saturday June 10, 2023 - Orientation & Training, 10 am - 12:30 pm

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  • About Central Valley Scholars

  • About the scholarships

  • Rubrics

  • Using Good Grants

  • Trauma Informed Training

  • Timeline and action items to proceed


Saturday June 24, 2023 - Final Selection, 10 am - 11:30 am

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  • Each scholarship reader will come back with one semi-finalist from their applications. Cohorts will be put together into break out rooms, read one another’s semi-finalist, and select a final recipient for the scholarship.


Reader Honorarium 
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Readers will receive a one-time nominal stipend of $150. It is important to note that readers are volunteers, not employees, of the Central Valley Scholars, therefore no benefits will be provided. Readers have the option to donate their stipend to Central Valley Scholars. 

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Requirements 

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  • Identifies with and has personal experience with one of the following categories:

    • First-generation college student

    • Undocumented or non-citizen of the US

    • LGBTQIA+ person

    • Black person

    • Person with Disabilities

    • Student Parent 

    • Woman of Color 

    • Justice Impacted person ​

  • Does not qualify and will not apply to our scholarships

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Please note, you do not have to be a college graduate to serve as a reader! Our curriculum is centered on lived experiences and storytelling, not institutional or academic experience. 

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Apply Today

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Please complete this form to apply. You can save your application and make edits later; however, you cannot edit after submission. Applications are due by May 8, 2023 at 11:59 pm. For questions please email us at contact@centralvalleyscholars.org. 

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