Vocational Scholarships

Palo Alto Rotary Club
Robert Smithwick Vocational Scholarships
for Academic Year 2024 - 2025

Eligibility, Schedule, Instructions & Application Form

The Rotary Club of Palo Alto vocational scholarships are intended to provide financial assistance to students who will enroll in an accredited career program or vocational program at one of the following community colleges: Cañada College, College of San Mateo, De Anza College, Foothill College, and Skyline College. These scholarships are named in honor of Dr. Robert Smithwick, a founder of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District and long-time Rotarian. Dr. Smithwick was active in community service and devoted to improving health and education locally and abroad.

Eligible students will enroll in a program leading to a certificate or degree, and will plan to go directly into employment in that field upon completion of the program. Examples of vocational programs include but are not limited to: automotive technology, accounting, child development, dental hygiene, fashion design, graphic design, medical assisting, and many others. The scholarships are primarily need-based rather than grade-based. The scholarships are not intended for general academic pursuits, for students intending to transfer to four-year colleges, or for graduate degrees.

Up to ten (10) scholarships will be awarded typically in amounts varying from $1000 to $3,000 for full-time students and lesser amounts for part-time students.  The award will be paid to the student upon confirmation of enrollment: it is intended to support the vocational educational goals of the recipient and may be used for tuition or other expenses incurred in pursuit of the educational program.

 

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include:

  • High school seniors who will graduate in June, 2024 and will enroll in a career/vocational program in fall of 2024
  • Students currently enrolled in an accredited career/vocational program described above, and continuing in that program in fall of 2024.
  • Returning students: individuals with high school degrees who have been out of school and are returning to pursue a career/vocational education.

All applicants must enroll in no fewer than 6 units in an accredited career/vocational program in fall of 2024, and must intend to remain enrolled in 6 units or more for the full 2024-2025 academic year.

 

Schedule of Application & Review

Schedule of announcement and application process:

  • Friday, March 8, 2024—Application Deadline
  • Friday, March 29, 2024—Applicants notified if they will be interviewed
  • Thursday, April 18 & Saturday, April 20, 2024 —Applicant Interviews via Zoom (Date/Time will be assigned based on availability)
  • Monday, April 19, 2024—Notification of decisions

Application Process: Application forms may be obtained from our website:  www.rotarypaloalto.org, by clicking on the Vocational Scholarships link. Save the form to your files, fill it out and save the completed form to your files.

 

Instructions for Submission of Application

  • E-mail your completed application as an attachment to: parscholarship@gmail.com or printed and mailed to the address below.
 

Instructions for Submission of Letters of Recommendation:

One letter of recommendation must also be sent to support your application, preferably from a current or former instructor.  You should send this page of application instructions to the person who will be writing a recommendation for you. It will help them understand the intent of the scholarship, and the procedure for them to submit their recommendation.

Or, applications and letters of recommendations may be mailed to:

Palo Alto Rotary
Vocational Scholarships
P. O. Box 592
Palo Alto, CA  94302

 

Application Form   

If you wish to apply or know someone who wishes to apply for a Vocational Scholarship, please download the application below.  Follow instructions printed on the application form and return the completed form, along with other required documentation to: parscholarship@gmail.com or mail to:

Palo Alto Rotary
Vocational Scholarships
P.O. Box 592
Palo Alto, CA 94302

 

Palo Alto Rotary Robert Smithwick Vocational Scholarships Application Form

 

Thank you for your Application!