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.
As she begins her junior year at Paine College in Augusta, Georgia, Madison is striving for more through UMHEF. She is one of nearly 1,000 students around the world impacted by United Methodist Higher Education Foundation (UMHEF) scholarships this year.
A recipient of the UMHEF Martha Forrest Scholarship for the 2022-2023 academic year, Madison is able to focus on her studies without struggling to cover the costs.
“This scholarship plays a role in successfully paying for my education and ensures I can reach my goals without having a doubt in my mind about paying for it.”
Madison, Paine College Student & UMHEF Scholar
With the support, Madison can focus on her studies and reach for her dreams. “I plan to work my way into pediatrics after I receive my undergraduate degree,” she says. “I love children, as well as helping people, so why not go into pediatrics and be the best at it?!”
A serious, driven student, Madison explains, “I always strive for more instead of settling for less.” Among her achievements, Madison was selected to represent Paine College as a White House Initiative Scholar in 2021. She adds, “This made a lot of people proud—including myself!” The staff of UMHEF is also proud—as I hope you are—to be a part of her journey.
Your contributions help thousands of young United Methodists like Madison, attending one of over 100 UM-related institutions of higher education, strive for more instead of settling for less.
Please consider a gift of $25, $50, $100, $500, or any amount to support our students. When you give to the United Methodist Higher Education Foundation, you empower our young people and set them up for success.
Jadd Masso first received a UMHEF scholarship in 1995 as a student at Southern Methodist University and is now a lawyer living in Dallas, TX. He first joined the UMHEF Board of Trustees in 2010 and has since served in many roles of leadership. Below, Jadd shares some thoughts about making the connection between scholar and servant.
When I received a scholarship from UMHEF to help pay for my undergraduate education at Southern Methodist University, I had no idea of how great a blessing it really was. Of course, the money for tuition as appreciated, but what I didn’t realize then was how the scholarship would further strengthen my connection with the church.
I grew up going to Sunday school and was active in my youth group during high school, but (like many college students) was not particularly involved thereafter. Receiving a scholarship from UMHEF was, to me, a reminder of who I was, where I came from, and the community I belonged to.
While at SMU, I received frequent reminders from UMHEF about the church’s support for me and for hundreds of other students like me across the country. UMHEF stayed in touch with me after graduation, through law school, and as I began my career. As a young adult, I was eager to become a donor to UMHEF. I wanted to pay back the gift that had been given to me, so that other students like me could have the same opportunities–not just to attend a church-related college or university, but to do so with the love and support of their church community. My UMHEF scholarship inspired me to rekindle my involvement at church as an adult and to take on leadership roles in my local congregation.
I have also been honored to serve on UMHEF’s board of trustees since 2010. I support UMHEF now because I know that the scholarships we give are so much more than assistance with tuition. Our scholarships are a way for the church to connect with its youth during a transformational time in their lives and to inspire its future leaders.
Jadd’s reflection first appeared in the 2021 UMHEF Annual Review. Read the full report here.
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