SDFM National Scholarship Program

The objectives of the National Scholarship Program are to recognize graduating high school seniors for academic achievement, to provide financial assistance that they may accomplish their future financial management baccalaureate educational goals, and to increase local chapter scholarship programs.

Award Criteria

• Applicant must be a graduating high school senior in the final half of his/her school year, or a high school graduate within ten months of the application deadline. Students that have won a nationalscholarship in previous years may qualify for continuing assistance.
• Applicant must be entering a field of study directly related to financial/resource management (such as business administration, economics, accounting, finance)

Submission Requirements

• Application from high school applicants must have an SDFM chapter endorsement letter. Chapter presidents may submit up to three applications each award year.
• Nomination must be submitted through the Awards Online website. No local chapter forms are accepted.
• Applicants must have a recommendation from an academic official, signed and dated.
• Applications from prior winners will require document support of a GPA of 3.0 or higher and a letter from the academic institution confirming continued work in the area of financial management.

Award Selection Procedures

Applicant's scholastic achievements, leadership ability, extracurricular activities, career/academic goals and financial need will be considered. A selection panel, chaired by a member of the SDFM National Awards Committee, will review applications received and select award winners. The selection panel will include not less than four members representing a cross section of SDFM Membership. A judge must recuse him/herself if a conflict of interest exists.

Chapters will be notified by email in late May if their applicant has been selected as a winner. Disbursements are made in July, upon receipt of student’s college acceptance letter and a W-9.

Recognition

SDFM will award nine scholarships each year.

• One $3,000 scholarship is awarded in honor of LTG James F. McCall, former Executive Director of SDFM. The recipient will have high financial need and show great academic promise. This winner may re-apply each year and receive $1,500 for the following three academic years, if qualified.
• Four $2,000 scholarships will be awarded. Recipients may re-apply each year to receive $1,000 for the following three academic years, if qualified.
• Four $1,000 scholarships will also be awarded. There will not be any follow-on award after the initial award in this category.