The Farris Foundation - Scholarships

In 1997, the Foundation, in partnership with selected high schools, began awarding four-year college scholarships each year to deserving seniors chosen by an independent committee of educators. The goal of the "Farris Scholar" Program is to recognize the achievements of students through community service; personal career goals, leadership, citizenship, academics and need – with need being the most important selection criteria. Our desire is to make a college education possible for the student who wants to attend college but does not have the financial resources to do so.

About the Farris Scholar Award

The Farris Scholar award is a four-year scholarship with a value up to $20,000 and can be used to obtain an undergraduate degree in any field of study. Funds will be disbursed from the Foundation office to the Bursar's Office of the applicable college for a maximum of four consecutive years. This scholarship expires four years from the student's graduation date from high school.
The scholarship is open to high school seniors at selected high schools without regard to race, religion, national origin, or gender.
The scholarship may be used for only tuition, room and board, fees, and books at any public or private college, university, trade, or technical school. Personal expenses are not included. No reimbursement of expenses directly to the student is allowed.
Upon being selected for this scholarship, the student agrees not to accept any Pell Grant funds.
The scholarship is normally awarded in the spring of each year at an appropriate recognition ceremony conducted by the school.
A Farris Scholar is required to maintain passing grades (GPA) in order to retain the scholarship.
It is the student's responsibility to ensure his/her grades are sent to the Foundation office within 10 days of the end of each semester or quarter. No additional funds will be disbursed without a copy of the previous semester/quarter's grades.
Interested students should contact their counselor or principal and pick up an application, complete it, and return it by the date specified by the school.
No relative of an employee, officer, or Director of The Farris Foundation is eligible for this award.
This scholarship will be awarded to only one member per family.
These guidelines are subject to change at any time at the discretion of the Foundation's Board of Directors.

Application Procedure
The school system will appoint a committee to make the annual selection. This committee will be totally independent of The Farris Foundation. The applicant will be asked to give a brief narrative explaining his or her career goals.

Scholarship recipients are selected based on Need, Leadership, Citizenship, Community Service, Career Goals, and Academics – with emphasis on need.

Leadership	Someone who sets a good example at school and is a role model in the community.
Citizenship	Someone who shows a demonstrative way of working to better the community. This could be working with school or church organizations or doing community service projects.

Funds will be disbursed up to $5,000 per year to the applicable college by the Foundation office, annually or semi-annually depending on the institution's costs. Funds cannot be disbursed or refunded directly to the student.

GPA Requirements
The Farris Foundation requires our scholarship recipients to maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) to continue receiving scholarship funds.

Should a student's grades ever drop below a 2.0 for a semester or quarter, he or she will be placed on probation. Under this probationary status, he will be allowed to keep the scholarship, but must achieve the required 2.0 cumulative GPA by the end of the semester/quarter to be considered in good standing. If, at the end of the term, the recipient's cumulative GPA is still below 2.0, but his semester/quarter GPA is 2.0 or above, he will remain on probation. In the event that his semester or quarter GPA is below 2.0, the scholarship will be terminated.