AMA SCHOLARSHIPS
Education Through Aviation
By Kyle Jaracz, Education Director | kylej@modelaircraft.org
As we prepared to open the selection process for the AMA scholarships, I asked Kyle Thede to put together a brief primer about the scholarships the AMA Foundation supports and how to apply for them. Thanks go to the generous donors who have enabled AMA to make a tangible gift to these young women and men as they pursue their goals. You can always reach out to us for additional information. We’re here to help! Here is from Kyle:
As part of its commitment to the celebration of model aviation, AMA strongly believes that our hobby is fun and rewarding and it offers an exciting path to a career in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and the arts. To support this pathway, the AMA Foundation makes several academic scholarships available every year. To date, AMA has distributed more than $1.3 million to scholarship recipients nationwide!
To be eligible for any scholarship, an applicant must have been an AMA member for 36 continuous months before the application deadline; be graduating from high school in the year in which the award is granted or be currently enrolled as a college or university student for the coming academic year; and indicate an anticipated major and the colleges and universities to which the applicant has applied. Please note that to be considered, home-schooled applicants must submit their scores for SAT and/or ACT test scores.
The AMA Scholarship Committee evaluates all applications. It makes a recommendation to the AMA education director and, ultimately, the AMA Executive Council.
The Charles H. Grant Scholarship is open to graduating high school seniors each year. The number of scholarships that are awarded each year and the amount each recipient is awarded depend upon the number of applicants and their qualifications. To have the best chance of success, applicants should be academically superior, as well as participate in many aspects of school, aeromodeling, and the community.
High achievement in all of the categories is important to receive the maximum; however, a person who is not at the top of his or her class academically can still receive a significant award if he or she is active in the community, aeromodeling, or both. Applicants’ backgrounds are taken into consideration, and a well-rounded person could be more qualified than one who excels only in one area!
Graduating high school seniors have the option to apply for additional scholarship opportunities. Only one applicant will be selected for each of the following scholarships:
- The $5,000 annual Cliff & Nancy Telford Scholarship award goes to the graduating senior with the best competitive record, based on participation in the following classifications: the AMA Nats; various national championships; FAI Team Selection Contests; AMA Record Trials; or FAI contests or world championships.
- The Ryan M. Sherrow Memorial Scholarship is based on a graduating high school senior’s overall involvement in aeromodeling, including building, flying, competing, participating in club events and activities, mentoring, assisting others, and general promotion of the hobby. A $500 scholarship is awarded each year.
- AMA members Debbie and Clay Sherrow created this scholarship to honor the memory of their son, Ryan. A talented RC pilot and dedicated club member, Ryan was always willing to help others learn about model aviation until his sudden and tragic passing at the age of 14.
- The annual Basil & Dorothy Cooper Scholarship is given to an applicant currently enrolled in an undergraduate program. This award is granted to a current college student pursuing an engineering or technical degree at an accredited four-year institution. Scholarship founder Basil Cooper Jr. established this $500 scholarship in memory of his parents.
The application process for this scholarship consists of essay questions, so be prepared to describe your involvement with aeromodeling, your community, and extracurricular activities in detail to have the best chance of success.
For further guidelines, visit https://amablog.modelaircraft.org/amaeducation/2022/09/12/2023-ama-scholarship. Applications are accepted until February 1, 2023. The applications opened October 17, 2022, and can be found at https://modelaircraft.secure-platform.com/a/page/scholarships.
