Mark Blucher Planning Scholarship
Vermont Student Assistance Corporation
Award: $1000 – $1000
Deadline: February 12.
To recognize Mr. Blucher’s 39 years of service to the Rutland Regional Planning Commission, as well as his commitment to education. Qualifications: Students must attending (or planning to attend) a college, university or training program within the United States or Canada who are: United States citizens (or eligible non-citizens), and Vermont residents (unless the scholarship or forgivable loan specifies otherwise); must seek a degree in land use planning, legal studies, political studies, emergency services, agriculture, environmental studies, forestry, wildlife management, geography/history, automotive/motorcycle, architecture, economics, or civil engineering (preference given to applicants seeking education in land use planning); demonstrate academic achievement (minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale); must demonstrate financial need; must demonstrate school/community involvement; must demonstrate education/work ethic. Selection criteria: Selection will be based on essay, recommendation letters, academic achievement, and financial need. How to apply: Applicants must submit online application form; should include: federal Student Aid (FAFSA); transcript; other required documents: should be submitted on a separate sheet of paper; recommendation letters: recommendation letter must be written by the individual designated by the applicant, be on official letterhead (school, business, college, organization, etc.), and/or be physically signed by the individual who wrote the letter; letters not signed or not on official letterhead cannot be authenticated; non-relative: letter must be from someone who is not related to the applicant for example, a counselor, guidance director, academic advisor, teacher, professor, principal, academic dean, employer, business leader, neighbor, or family friend; letter must address the applicant’s: achievements/strengths, talent/potential for success, community/school involvement, character/initiative/leadership, commitment to completing their education beyond high school, commitment to their chosen career/field of study, education/work ethic; community service: letter must focus on the applicant’s commitment to their community; preferably this letter should be from a community service provider or organization (not related to the applicant); essays: each essay must be written by the applicant and should include the applicant’s name and last four digits of their social security number at the top; general essay: commitment/goals; financial need; community service; uniqueness (minimum 250 words). Focus: Architecture; Automotive technology; Engineering, Civil; Environmental science; Forestry; Geography; Land management; Urban affairs/design/planning; Wildlife conservation, management, and science.