ACUMEN Scholarship
Individual applicants can apply.
Opens Feb 14 2024 12:00 AM (PST)
Deadline Mar 20 2024 05:00 PM (PDT)
$5,000 or $8,000
Description

ACUMEN stands for Aspire to College or University: Meet your Education Nexus. The ACUMEN Scholarship seeks to provide scholarships to students from Youth Spirit Artworks (YSA) in Berkeley and Oakland Tech High School and MyClymonds High School who face serious financial challenges and who are committed to attend college. 

This scholarship will award up to 3 new scholarships each year. Awards for students attending 2-year colleges will be $5,000 each and awards for students attending 4-year colleges will be $8,000 each. Awards can cover educational costs including tuition, fees, books, and supplies. 

Current ACUMEN scholars are invited to renew their awards each year of college by demonstrating "good standing."


NOTES FOR 2024:

The ACUMEN Scholarship and the East Bay Community Foundation recognize that disruptions and challenges related to the pandemic are ongoing, especially for students, families, and educators. As a result, one temporary adjustment made to the ACUMEN Scholarship for the previous cycle is being extended for the 2024 cycle. We hope this adjustments will provide encouragement to potential applicants and will lessen the burden on recommenders. The following adjustment apples to the 2024 cycle:

  1. Letter of Recommendation: Only 1 recommendation is required; recommenders will be asked to provide brief statements of support rather than a full letter.

This adjustments will be re-evaluated before future application cycles to determine if they are still appropriate.


Eligibility requirements for new, first-time applicants:

  • Applicants must be:
    • current participants at Youth Spirit Artworks (YSA) in Berkeley who are graduating from high school; OR
    • active participants and alumni at YSA who have graduated from high school and (a) not started college or (b) only attended community college (4 year college students are not eligible for first-time applications); OR
    • current, graduating seniors at Oakland Tech High School in Oakland
    • current, graduating seniors at McClymonds High School in Oakland
  • Must be attending either a 2-year or 4-year college or university in the upcoming fall term
  • Must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher
  • Must be eligible for federal free and reduced school lunch program 

Winners will be selected by a committee based on the following priority areas:

  • Financial need
  • Sense of purpose and motivation for educational pursuits
  • Desire to contribute to community, cultural, societal welfare
  • Demonstrated qualities such as curiosity, perseverance, initiative, activism, empathy

Renewal applications can also be submitted by current ACUMEN Scholarship recipients through this platform.

Detailed instructions are on the application.

Tasks that can be started early

  • Confirm 1 non-family adult who can provide a brief recommendation for you. The adult can be a teacher, coach, work supervisor, music teacher, religious leader, etc. It should be someone who knows you well and can offer details about your educational commitment or any of the qualities of curiosity, perseverance, initiative, activism, and/or empathy.
    • You should ask the person well in advance if they are willing and able to write a strong recommendation on your behalf.
  • FAFSA or California Dream Act Application: You will need to apply to one of these and then upload the Student Aid Report (SAR) that you get back that shows your Expected Family Contribution amount to your ACUMEN application. If you need help with this, see your college counselor at your high school. You can also watch this short video on how to access your FAFSA Student Aid Report (SAR)


Award announcements will be made via email no later than May 1.

This scholarship also strongly encourages its scholars to take advantage of academic, social, and/or cultural support services at their higher education institution. Students who do so will be eligible to renew their awards in future years.


For technical assistance, please refer to the FAQ Page where you'll find lots of helpful instructions and tips.

For questions about the content or requirements of the ACUMEN Scholarship, please email scholarships@eastbaycf.org 

ACUMEN Scholarship


ACUMEN stands for Aspire to College or University: Meet your Education Nexus. The ACUMEN Scholarship seeks to provide scholarships to students from Youth Spirit Artworks (YSA) in Berkeley and Oakland Tech High School and MyClymonds High School who face serious financial challenges and who are committed to attend college. 

This scholarship will award up to 3 new scholarships each year. Awards for students attending 2-year colleges will be $5,000 each and awards for students attending 4-year colleges will be $8,000 each. Awards can cover educational costs including tuition, fees, books, and supplies. 

Current ACUMEN scholars are invited to renew their awards each year of college by demonstrating "good standing."


NOTES FOR 2024:

The ACUMEN Scholarship and the East Bay Community Foundation recognize that disruptions and challenges related to the pandemic are ongoing, especially for students, families, and educators. As a result, one temporary adjustment made to the ACUMEN Scholarship for the previous cycle is being extended for the 2024 cycle. We hope this adjustments will provide encouragement to potential applicants and will lessen the burden on recommenders. The following adjustment apples to the 2024 cycle:

  1. Letter of Recommendation: Only 1 recommendation is required; recommenders will be asked to provide brief statements of support rather than a full letter.

This adjustments will be re-evaluated before future application cycles to determine if they are still appropriate.


Eligibility requirements for new, first-time applicants:

  • Applicants must be:
    • current participants at Youth Spirit Artworks (YSA) in Berkeley who are graduating from high school; OR
    • active participants and alumni at YSA who have graduated from high school and (a) not started college or (b) only attended community college (4 year college students are not eligible for first-time applications); OR
    • current, graduating seniors at Oakland Tech High School in Oakland
    • current, graduating seniors at McClymonds High School in Oakland
  • Must be attending either a 2-year or 4-year college or university in the upcoming fall term
  • Must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher
  • Must be eligible for federal free and reduced school lunch program 

Winners will be selected by a committee based on the following priority areas:

  • Financial need
  • Sense of purpose and motivation for educational pursuits
  • Desire to contribute to community, cultural, societal welfare
  • Demonstrated qualities such as curiosity, perseverance, initiative, activism, empathy

Renewal applications can also be submitted by current ACUMEN Scholarship recipients through this platform.

Detailed instructions are on the application.

Tasks that can be started early

  • Confirm 1 non-family adult who can provide a brief recommendation for you. The adult can be a teacher, coach, work supervisor, music teacher, religious leader, etc. It should be someone who knows you well and can offer details about your educational commitment or any of the qualities of curiosity, perseverance, initiative, activism, and/or empathy.
    • You should ask the person well in advance if they are willing and able to write a strong recommendation on your behalf.
  • FAFSA or California Dream Act Application: You will need to apply to one of these and then upload the Student Aid Report (SAR) that you get back that shows your Expected Family Contribution amount to your ACUMEN application. If you need help with this, see your college counselor at your high school. You can also watch this short video on how to access your FAFSA Student Aid Report (SAR)


Award announcements will be made via email no later than May 1.

This scholarship also strongly encourages its scholars to take advantage of academic, social, and/or cultural support services at their higher education institution. Students who do so will be eligible to renew their awards in future years.


For technical assistance, please refer to the FAQ Page where you'll find lots of helpful instructions and tips.

For questions about the content or requirements of the ACUMEN Scholarship, please email scholarships@eastbaycf.org 

Value

$5,000 or $8,000

Open to
Individual applicants can apply.
Opens
Feb 14 2024 12:00 AM (PST)
Deadline
Mar 20 2024 05:00 PM (PDT)