One of TGEF's goals is to provide scholarships to student employees and children of employees of TGCSA member companies. For a list of available TGEF scholarships, click here.
ELIGIBILITY
Those eligible to apply are high school seniors, college freshman, sophomores and juniors who are either:
1. Children or Spouses of full-time employees of companies that are members of TGCSA. The employee must have been employed for at least two years as of January 1 of the year in which scholarships are awarded.
2. Part-time employees of companies that are members of TGCSA. The student must have been employed for at least six months as of January 1 of the year in which scholarships are awarded.
NOTE: The applicant or the parent(s)/spouse of the applicant must still be employed by a TGCSA member company at the time the winners are selected.
SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
Two types of TGCSA scholarships are awarded.
One-year awards ranging from $500 to $1,800 for graduating high school seniors and college student who are children of
full-time employees as well as part-time student employees. There are also a number of special one and four-year scholarships of varying amounts that are awarded. Winners of one-year awards may reapply each year if they continue to be employed by firms that are members of TGCSA.
Most awards may be used at any accredited non-profit college or university in the United States. A scholarship recipient may transfer from one college to another and retain the award.
SELECTION OF WINNERS
An impartial Selection Committee composed of education professionals meets in the spring to select the winners. In evaluating the applicants, the committee considers the applicants' academic records, test scores, extracurricular activities, student employment and recommendations. Winners are selected largely on the basis of academic merit. There are several "Best All-Round" scholarships available. All applicants are notified of the results of the competition by April 1.
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION
To assure complete impartiality in the selection of winners and to maintain a high level of professionalism in dealing with students, parents, high schools and colleges; the Tennessee Grocers Scholarship Program is managed by Tennessee Grocers Education Foundation. Selection of scholarship winners is made by Dr. L. Paul Sands & Associates. Dr. Sands is the Founding President of Columbia State Community College.
APPLICATION PROCESS
OBTAINING A SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION
Around December 1 of each year, scholarship posters are mailed to TGCSA member companies. Applications and descriptive brochures are sent to those who request them on Scholarship Application Forms or the application may be complete by clicking the link below. The application and brochure contain instructions about deadlines and other important information.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF RECIPIENTS
Scholarship recipients must enroll as full-time college students in the fall of the year in which the scholarships are awarded and continue in school for the entire academic year without interruption, barring illness, emergency or military service. Scholarship checks are mailed to the individual scholarship recipients, and the winners are responsible for making certain that their check is delivered to the college.
PAYMENT OF SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS
Scholarship payments are made in the following way. On or about August 1, scholarship recipients are sent checks for the fall academic term. Checks are made payable to the colleges. For colleges on the semester system, the checks are for one half the award. For colleges on the quarter system, checks are for one third the award.
The second and third checks for colleges on the quarter system are sent November 1 and February 1. For those on the semester system, checks are sent December 1.
For additional information regarding the scholarship program contact:
Jennifer Kemp, Tennessee Grocers Education Foundation
P.O. Box 290427, Nashville, Tennessee 37210-0427
Email: jkemp@tngrocer.org
The deadline for 2008-2009 scholarships was March 7; for 2009-2010 please check the website in December 2008.
