SOAR Scholarship

SOAR Texas, a 501 (c) (3) non profit, seeks to mentor and support ‘first females,’ those young women who are the first in their family to pursue higher education or who have had to overcome significant challenges. Our goal is to provide scholarships opportunities and ongoing mentorship and relationship building.    

It is not enough for us to celebrate current successes. We have to reach out to the next generation to help more women reach their potential because we believe that First Females will go on to do great things, and they will pay that forward to others that are reaching up.

The Scholarship and Mentoring Groups

Twenty students will be selected each year to receive a scholarship totaling $5,000. SOAR Scholars are eligible to reapply each year they meet all of the eligibility requirements. The recipient will also be invited to join a mentorship group. The groups will have two meetings a year (for which attendance is strongly urged, but not required), and several optional meetings throughout the year either in person or virtually, depending on location of the members. Our goal is that as new scholarship recipients are chosen each year, previous recipients will continue with their group. They will provide mentorship to the new recipients and continue to benefit from the ongoing relationships these circles will build.

Eligibility Requirements

1. Women who are first-generation college or graduate students or have overcome significant challenges/obstacles on their educational journey.
2. Enrolled full-time or accepted to begin full-time in the fall of 2025 at an accredited 4-year university or graduate program in the State of Texas.
3. Current cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
4. Demonstrate leadership abilities.
5. Demonstrate good moral character in all aspects of your life, including personal, professional, educational, in your community, and online presence.
6. Current Texas resident.

Applications are then reviewed by our scholarship committee, who consider family background, academic achievement, involvement in extracurricular activities, community volunteer work, church service or work-employment; and strength of essays. The committee will pick finalists to present to the Board, and the Board will vote to pick the winners.

Anyone who is employed by LOAR or SOAR at the time of their initial application, SOAR Board members, and any of their immediate family members are ineligible.

Application

This application opens December 14, 2024 and closes March 10, 2025 12:00 p.m. (Noon) CST. All applications and required documents (proof of acceptance or enrollment at one of the applicable universities, school transcript, and a recommendation letter) must be submitted online or received in our Austin office (6101 W Courtyard Dr., 1-150, Austin, TX 78730) before March 10, 2025 12:00 p.m. (Noon) CST.  Scholarship recipients will be notified by April 15, 2025, and invited to an event to recognize their achievement (in person or virtually) at Summer Celebration in June 2025