Polk State College is committed to celebrating the diverse cultures that make our community and our country so great. Each year, the College commemorates Hispanic Heritage Month, which is nationally recognized from September 15 to October 15. Festivities and events are held on campus, with the Hispanic Heritage Scholarship Fiesta serving as the culmination of the month’s activities. Additionally, the Hispanic Heritage Scholarship will be presented at the Fiesta on Oct. 17, 2018, 12:00 p.m. at the Polk State Lakeland – Student Center Dining Hall. The scholarship will be awarded to students who have an interest in serving the Hispanic community.
To support the Hispanic Heritage Scholarship Fund, please click here.
Criteria for the Hispanic Heritage Scholarship
Application period:
The application period for the 2018 Hispanic Heritage Scholarship is from Tuesday, August 14, 2018, to Tuesday, September 25, 2018, by 11:59 p.m. (EST).
The applicant:
A. Must have a high school GPA of 5 (unweighted) or an overall college GPA of 3.0. A high school applicant must be a senior and have completed the Polk State College admissions process. A college applicant must have completed a minimum of 12 credit hours. Any Polk State College student with the required GPA and credit count can apply.
B. Must be enrolled as a Polk State College student (full or part-time) to be eligible to use the funds awarded.
C. Must use the funds awarded for courses, textbooks, or school-related supplies
Application and Essay Requirements:
The applicant must complete the application and a typed, two-page, double-spaced essay. These items must be submitted electronically by the deadline. The essay should not exceed two pages and should be in 12-point, Times New Roman font, in Word format (i.e., doc. file). A high school applicant must submit a copy of the high school transcript with the unweighted GPA and all coursework included. A college applicant must include a copy of his or her Polk State transcript with all coursework and the GPA included.
Submission:
- The applicant can access the application here.
- The student must submit the application, essay, and copy of the high school or college transcript (as appropriate) electronically to HHM@polk.edu.
The subject line of the e-mail should read: 2018 HHM Application (name of student).
- The deadline for the 2018 Hispanic Heritage Scholarship is Tuesday, September 25, 2018, by 11:59 p.m. (EST).
Evaluation process:
All essays are read and rated according to the following criteria:
- The student has answered all questions and followed the essay instructions.
- The student has demonstrated the ability to express thoughts fluidly and coherently in written language.
- The student has demonstrated his or her interest in the community.
- The student meets the minimum required GPA and related requirements (see above). The GPA is used to rank applicants in the event of a tie.
Additional information:
- Scholarship recipients are notified and asked to attend the Hispanic Heritage Scholarship Fiesta with family, friends, or guests.
- An RSVP with the total number of attendees is needed to prepare for this event.
- Recipients who are able to attend must arrive by 11:30 a.m.
The scholarship is awarded at the Hispanic Heritage Scholarship Fiesta on Wednesday, October 17, 2018, at 12:00 p.m. in LAC 1133 at the Lakeland Student Center Dining Hall. The Polk State College Foundation contacts recipients to provide information about accessing funds for classes or books for the Spring 2019 Term (or later). The scholarship must be used within one year of its award date.