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Scholarships

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Giving Students a Helping Hand in the Pursuit of Higher Education
As the costs of living increase, naturally, so do other expenses. They include, but are not limited to food, housing, transportation and health care. But did you know there is at least one expenditure that the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has labeled as "remarkably inflammatory" over the years? That, of course, would be the meteoric rise in the costs of college tuition.

The BLS recently reported that as a general rule of thumb, college tuition has risen at about twice the rate of general economic inflation. A four-year education that would have cost $13,000 in 2000, will set you back about $30,000 today. Since 2003, tuition has risen at an average rate of 11.6 percent per year. At those rates, it can be more and more difficult for students to pursue a higher education.

But fortunately, part of our role as a community-involved electric cooperative is our commitment to offer college scholarships for local high school students. Over the last decade, dozens of local students have applied for and won thousands of dollars worth of scholarship money from Baldwin EMC. Through our community-oriented initiatives such as Operation Round Up and our annual Youth Tour, we are able to provide college-bound teenagers with essential financial support to help them achieve their academic goals.

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Baldwin EMC Scholarships

	YOUTH TOUR SCHOLARSHIP Beyond just an academic scholarship, the Youth Tour is also a unique opportunity for high school juniors to gain insight into our state and national governments, along with an understanding of the history and significance of rural electrification. Every year, we choose several students from high schools in the county to travel to Montgomery and Washington D.C. There, our participants join students from all 50 states to learn more about electric cooperatives, meet government dignitaries, explore historical sites and monuments, make new friends and acquaintances and have fun doing it. Applications for Youth Tour 2013 will be available in the fall of 2012.
	BALDWIN EMC CHARITABLE FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP Our most financially rewarding scholarship is the Baldwin EMC Charitable Foundation College Scholarship. The winning applicants are awarded money depending on their academic achievements and financial needs. Funded through Operation Round Up, the Charitable Foundation College Scholarship can provide a student as much as $3,500 annually to pursue a higher education. Applications for the 2012 scholarships are due on February 29, 2012. Click here for the 2012 application.
	ELECTRIC FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP In cooperation with our statewide organization, the Alabama Rural Electric Association (AREA), we are also able to offer an annual scholarship through the Electric Cooperative Foundation, Inc. Available for any high school senior who is dependent upon a member of Baldwin EMC; the Electric Cooperative Foundation awards two $500 scholarships. Applications are due March 16, 2012. Click here for the 2012 application.

It’s unfortunate that personal finances can come in the way of a college education, but for many students that’s just the reality. That’s why it’s important to take an active role in their lives and ambitions and help them make the best out of life. If you know of a student who could benefit from one of our academic scholarship programs, please direct them to this Web site or download any of the applications above. We are honored to be able to offer these scholarships and we hope they will be taken advantage of.

For more details about these scholarships, speak to your high school guidance counselor or call Baldwin EMC at (251) 989-6247 or (800) 837-3374.