The next application season for UMHEF scholarships opens soon on January 1! If you or a student in your life is hoping to attend a United Methodist-related school for the 2023-2024 year, now is the time to get ready to apply for available awards.

Here are 3 things you can do NOW to prepare:

• Review our scholarship programs for details and to make sure you meet the eligibility requirements.
• Planning to apply for the UM Dollars or Scholars program? Contact your sponsoring church now to make sure they’re able to provide the initial $1,000 award. (If your church doesn’t have funds budgeted, consider sharing these fundraising tips!)
• The General Named Endowed Scholarships require letters of recommendation from your pastor and a teacher/professor. Now’s a great time to identify these persons and let them know to watch for an email inviting them to do so after you submit your application.

BONUS TIPS: Check out our FAQs page for answers to commonly asked questions. Want a convenient reference for our award process? Download the 2023 Scholarship Guide.

Wondering what to include in care packages for your college student? We asked some of our UMHEF scholarship recipients what they’d most like to get. Here’s a list of some of those items, plus a few ideas to put some extra care into those care packages.

Most Requested Items

It may come as no surprise that the most requested item students would love to get in a care package is money!

• Grocery store gift cards
• Coffee shop gift cards
• Restaurant gift cards
• Coins or cash for the laundry room
• Cash for spending on whatever they need

Also not surprising, is the second most popular item: food!

• Favorite candy and snacks
• Microwave popcorn
• Homemade cookies or treats
• Items from their hometown bakery

Practically Perfect Items

Including some practical necessities in care packages can offer students support during those long hours of writing papers and studying for tests.

• Pens, pencils, or highlighters
• Colorful sticky notes
• Note cards
• Portable reading light
• Travel coffee mug
• Stress ball

Items to Encourage and Inspire

Don’t underestimate the power of an encouraging word or self-care moment to keep students going!

• Handwritten card or note
• Mementos or photos from home
• Printed Scripture Cards
• Coloring book and crayons or markers
• Lotion, lip balm, or body scrub

More Resources to Support College Students

When in doubt about what your college or seminary student would be most excited to get in a package, just ask! You’ll never go wrong asking for ideas straight from the source.

If you’re looking for other ideas for how to care for the students in your life, check out our Pinterest board of care package ideas (and other resources) we’ve collected over the years.

It is with fondness and an appreciation of a life well lived that the UMHEF community remembers Board of Trustee member Bob Forrest, who passed away on Thursday, September 15, 2022.

Bob had served as a United Methodist Higher Education Foundation trustee since 2017. As his obituary states, “Bob loved the Lord and the United Methodist Church.” During his time with the foundation, Bob passionately supported United Methodist students seeking higher education. With particular interest in students within his home state of Georgia, Bob and his wife Martha have advocated tirelessly to raise funds and awareness through the Martha Forrest Scholarship Fund. The lives of many students have been impacted in countless ways through his work, for which we are profoundly grateful.

The prayers of the UMHEF staff, Board of Trustees, and community go out to Martha and the family during this difficult time.

At the family’s request, gifts may be given in Bob’s memory to the Martha Forrest Scholarship Fund below.