Are you a Wyoming resident looking for help funding your private high school or college/university/technical school education? If so, consider applying for The Hawthorn Foundation Scholarships! Twice a year, the schoalrships help cover the costs of tuition, fees, and books for multiple Wyoming residents needing help funding their education, no matter the level. The scholarship is also open to non-traditional students looking for help, so don’t let your circumstances or background stop you from applying! If this sounds look a good opportunity for you, keep on reading to learn more.

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About Hawthorn Foundation

The Hawthorn Foundation is a Wyoming non-profit entity comprised of local people that understand the hardships people face in life-long learning and personal growth. Their programs are two-pronged – one side concentrating on encouraging individuals to grow, the other on preserving the natural beauty of Wyoming, and the Rocky Mountain region. One goal is to assist individuals with the motivation to improve their lives, but who may need a ‘leg up’ to realize their dreams. So, if you are someone who believes you could do great things with a little help, they would love to hear from you. Their ‘green’ goal is to ensure that Wyoming retains its wide-open spaces and wildlife. They offer a conservation easement program (non-tax deductible) to those who want to protect their lands from development and preserve the cultural values but are worried about losing complete control. They also want to encourage conservation efforts such as recycling, developing renewable energy sources, and protection of air and water quality by offering grants for innovative ideas.

• To be eligible for a scholarship, applicants must reside in Wyoming and plan to attend on a full-time basis a fully accredited educational institution in the United States.  Applicants must submit with their application: (i) a detailed plan outlining how they propose to use scholarship funds, including the name of the educational institution they wish to attend, the tuition, fees and other expenses that would be required for  attendance, the duration and location of the program, and the degree or certification they hope to obtain (an “Education Plan”); and  (ii) a description of how pursuing the contemplated course of study would improve his or her life circumstances (a “Personal Essay”). HAWTHORN FOUNDATION ONLY COVERS TUITION, FEES AND BOOKS. Applications for the fall term will only be accepted June 1 through July 31, and applications for the spring term will only be accepted October 1 through November 30. Applications submitted outside of these dates will not be considered. Applicants need not be traditional students who are generally eligible for scholarship aid from a variety of other sources. Rather, they may be non-traditional students, such as:
• Individuals whose needs are not being met at their public high schools and need to attend a private or alternative high school;
• individuals who received a General Equivalency Degree (“GED”) instead of a high school diploma;
• individuals who did not finish high school and have not obtained a GED but would like to obtain a GED and/or pursue an education at a technical or vocational school that can teach them a valuable skill for earning a living;
• low-income adults who are returning to school, or are starting a higher education for the first time;
• low-income individuals who will be the first in their family to attend college;
• individuals who are striving to overcome obstacles in their lives (e.g., foster care system, homelessness) and are looking to make a fresh start through education; or
• returning military.
• Scholarship applicants who meet the eligibility requirements will be evaluated based on a variety of criteria, the most important of which are:
• quality and strength of the applicant’s Education Plan;
• quality and strength of the applicant’s Personal Essay;
• demonstration of motivation, enthusiasm and aptitude to pursue and complete the educational program;
• degree of financial need.