PUEBLO WEST, CO – In a bid to empower the educational aspirations of more of southern Colorado’s youth, San Isabel Electric has simplified the description of scholarship eligibility requirements. The co-op hopes to award more scholarships to deserving students who may have a lower grade point average or are not planning to attend a four-year college but are still pursuing vocational training or another non-traditional form of higher education.
The not-for-profit electric utility’s scholarship program has evolved through time since the co-op began awarding scholarships in 2000. At its’ inception, scholarships were only awarded to valedictorians from schools that bought electricity from San Isabel Electric. Since its’ inception, the co-op’s scholarship program now awards scholarships to students graduating from high school with a 3.0 GPA who are planning to attend a four-year institution. Currently, scholarships are also awarded to graduating seniors with at least a 2.0 GPA who want to study a vocational, occupational, or certificate program, or to students who have been away from school for at least two years.
Last year, the not-for-profit electric cooperative awarded a record-breaking $39,000 in scholarships. Every eligible student that completed their application was awarded a scholarship in 2023.
Scholarships are typically a one-time, $1,000 award. However, the top scoring applicants will be invited to interview with the board of directors for a chance to compete for an additional one-time $4,000 Powered-Up Scholarship.
Applicants must meet the following criteria to be eligible to apply:
- San Isabel Electric membership: Scholarship applicants must have a parent or guardian who is a current San Isabel Electric member. When you sign up for electric service from San Isabel Electric you become a member and owner of the electric cooperative utility.
- Colorado Residency: To be eligible, students must be residents of Colorado.
- Educational Status: Eligible students must either be graduating from high school in the 2023-2024 academic year or have taken at least a two-year break in their educational journey.
- Academic Excellence: Applicants are required to have a minimum GPA of 2.0.
- Educational Goals: Students should be planning to attend an accredited college and/or university, or an occupational training program lasting two years or less at an accredited vocational school, technical school, community college, or junior college during the 2024-2025 academic year.
The application process is straightforward, which includes a 300-word essay outlining one’s goals and aspirations, along with two letters of recommendation.
For more information and to apply online visit siea.com/scholarships.
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