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100% of Donations Go to Scholars One hundred percent of donations made to Meritus go directly to the Scholars. There is no overhead allocation or administrative fee taken from donations to Meritus, so the Scholar can use the full amount of the grant for tuition, fees, books, housing, and other education expenses. Meritus' program and operational costs are supported by foundation grants given for that purpose. Four-Year Scholarships All Meritus scholarships are four-year awards. Most other scholarships are one year only. The scholarship is awarded annually provided the student attends college full-time and maintains a 2.25 grade point average. For the student, this on-going support is not just financial. Knowing that others believe in them long-term gives each Scholar a great boost of confidence and the inspiration to succeed. Awards for Students with B to B+ Averages Meritus seeks to award singular scholarships to San Francisco public high school graduating seniors who have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 to 3.7. This group of students is usually overlooked when applying for scholarships. Typically, scholarships only go to top students with the highest GPA's (3.8 - 4.0). Scholar-Donor Relationships The Meritus Board of Directors is extremely committed to the success of it scholars and since the beginning built student-donor communications into the program's design. Students are required to write their donors twice a year - at the end of each semester - and participate in donor sponsored events. Many of these relationships have resulted in networking and employment opportunities for the students. Connecting students to their donors has also helped the students learn about community commitment and responsibility. In turn, donors see the immediate impact their donation and their personal support can make in a young person's life. Connections Program Student support services run throughout the year by helping students make connections to the community. The Connections program takes on three forms. Counseling is offered to all students from freshmen year on. Mentoring is offered to Scholars and is available throughout their four academic years to provide advice and guidance. And finally, exploring careers and leadership training are provided for six weeks during the summer. By making connections to the community, Meritus increases student retention in college.Affordable Philanthropy Meritus is
a grass-roots program where individuals can contribute as little
as $600 per year to be part of a scholarship group. Donor groups usually consist
of 3 to 5 donors who each pledge $600 to $1000 per year for four years. Typical
donor groups are comprised of friends, family members, college alumni,
or professional colleagues—all of whom have a passion for the value
of education. |
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