Undergraduate Scholarship Opportunities for RecSports Student Employees

Generous donations from former employees and participants have created endowed scholarships in order to honor exemplary individuals who provide outstanding leadership and vision, go above and beyond their responsibilities on a regular basis and represent the Division of Recreational Sports in a positive and favorable manner. Scholarship recipients will be those who demonstrate initiative and who serve as role models for their peers.

Twelve scholarships will be awarded for the 2012-13 school year. Ten of the awards will be $1,000; the remaining two scholarships will be $2,500. Scholarship recipients will be announced and recognized at Fall Kickoff on Tuesday, August 28, 2012, in Gregory Gym. In early August, all applicants will be notified whether or not they will receive an award. Winners will learn which scholarship they were awarded during the program at Fall Kickoff.

Criteria for each of the undergraduate scholarships are listed below.

• All applicants must be enrolled for the fall 2012 semester.
• Each scholarship listed below, with the exception of the Spence & Nance scholarship, requires one or more academic years of employment with RecSports.
• Each of the scholarships below requires full-time student status. However, with the exception of the Hart and Spence & Nance scholarships, awards may be made to students in their final year prior to graduation if a less-than-full-time course load will enable them to complete their degree.
• Each of the scholarships listed below, with the exception of the Acacia, Delta Tau Delta, and Spence & Nance scholarships, requires Junior or Senior status.
• One academic year is defined as 2 long semesters (fall/spring).

(The links below will take you to RecSports' Friends of RecSports Web site, where you can learn more about the background of the available scholarships.)

*Satisfactory Academic Progress, as defined by the University of Texas at Austin Office of Student Financial Services. Each applicant's eligibility will be verified by the Office of Student Financial Services prior to consideration of the application.

Application Process

All application materials must be submitted to Rhonda Cox in Gregory Gym 2.204 by 12 noon on Friday, May 18, 2012.  Incomplete applications will not be considered.

You are strongly encouraged to have a member of the full-time staff review your application materials prior to submission in order to give yourself the opportunity to make corrections or improvements.

Your application materials will undergo two reviews:

1. a review by your supervisor(s), and
2. a blind (anonymous) review by a selection committee comprised primarily of non-supervisors.

Application Instructions

Important note regarding your application materials: Your adherence to the instructions below and attention to detail are two of the criteria which will be used to evaluate your application.

In order to help preserve your anonymity for the blind review, please use one-inch margins and 12-point Times New Roman font when preparing your documents. The set of materials without your name and contact information will be used for the blind review. Your application packet consists of:

• Application Form (pdf) (one copy)
  
  
• Cover Letter (two copies, one with your name and all contact information removed)
  
  
• Résumé (two copies, one with your name and all contact information removed)
  
  
• Two 500-750 word essays (two copies of each, one with your name and all contact information removed):
  
  ESSAY #1 - choose from A OR B
  
  
  A. From RecSports' Mission Statement:
  
  We create environments and opportunities that foster community, form lasting memories and instill a sense of belonging. We promote physical fitness, healthy habits and balanced behaviors, improving the overall wellness of participants. We teach students meaningful life skills, encourage personal achievement, and develop involved and responsible citizens.
  
  
  Explain to an individual outside of our organization the ways in which you believe RecSports lives up to these assertions and why RecSports is a valuable part of the campus community.
  
  OR
  
  
  B. Identify a process or an aspect of RecSports' daily operations that your position is either directly responsible for or impacted by which you feel needs improvement. Describe the changes you would suggest, along with your views on how your suggestions would impact the work of your co-workers, both full and/or part-time.
  
  -AND-
  
  
  Essay #2- choose from C OR D
  
  C. What value has RecSports brought to your college experience?
  
  OR
  

  
  D. Think about your current role(s) within RecSports. What skills have you acquired or mastered that will be valuable in your life after college?

Selection Process

• Your supervisor(s) will see the set of materials that identifies you. If you hold more than one position with the division, each supervisor will complete an evaluation and the scores will be averaged together.
  — Supervisor Evaluation Criteria
  
  
• The selection committee (non-supervisors) will see the materials that do not identify you.
  — Selection Committee Evaluation Criteria

All totals are added up and divided by the number of reviewers. The individuals with the top 12 scores will be awarded scholarships. The top two scores will each receive the Hart Scholarship, which is $2,500. The remaining 10 will receive $1,000 scholarships.