Tam Tran Scholarship

The César Chávez Scholarship Fund is pleased to sponsor the Tam Tran Scholarship, which has been set up to help undocumented students continue on their academic path. It is our hope that this scholarship can respond to the lack of financial assistance provided to students who do not have the legal documentation who wish to attend college in the United States. In particular, we seek to support undocumented students that have met the rigorous academic requirements asked of them and hold the academic promise to continue to a college or university.

Eligibility Criteria. Applicant:
• Must be a Rhode Island resident on the date of your application.
• Must be an undocumented student, or someone who was born outside of the U.S. but lives here without the legal permission of the federal government.
• Must be or will be a high school/GED graduate who will enroll for the first time in an accredited college or university in the U.S. or Puerto Rico for the 2013-2014 academic year. Applications will also be accepted from students currently enrolled at CCRI, RIC or URI for the 2015 summer or fall sessions.
• Must demonstrate financial need – i.e. you may send us your FAFSA SAR score.
• Must demonstrate academic potential and promise-your transcript and essay will reflect this.
• Must demonstrate leadership qualities – your essay will reflect this.
• Recipients must agree to volunteer to attend meetings and/or speak with other undocumented students seeking advice during the first year after receiving the award – you must sign an agreement.
• As time allows, recipients will be expected to participate in CASO events and commit to community service or professional development activities throughout the year.
• Re-applicants must show that you have fulfilled the requirements as listed above, specifically your willingness to volunteer, attend community meetings and you will be asked to write in your essay about community service and leadership activities you’ve accomplished.

Application Materials:
Please ensure that you provide all the items below and only those items. Failure to do so can result in disqualification of your application.

✔︎ Tam Tran Scholarship Application – Please complete the application in full.

✔︎ Two Letters of Recommendation –We will only accept a maximum of two letters. Re-applicants can send one (1) letter from a college professor/administrator or mentor.

✔︎ Copy of High School transcript – Submit your most current high school transcript. You may submit an official or unofficial (photocopy) transcript. Re-applicants must send a copy of your most-recent semester grades, or entire freshman semester if you have them. If you don’t have a high school diploma, you may submit a certified copy of your GED certificate or diploma, along with proof after you have been accepted into an accredited college or university.

✔︎ Personal Statement (1000 words maximum) – Your personal statement must fulfill the following two things to be considered complete. Please read carefully. Use a separate sheet to write your essay.

❖ You must indicate in your personal statement that you are an undocumented student. We define an undocumented student as someone who was born outside of the U.S. but lives here without the legal permission of the federal government.

Please write a response to ANY of the topics below – you may combine one or two in one essay. We are looking for some thoughtful responses, a creative capacity to find pragmatic strategies and tactics to resolve problems and situations that often seem insurmountable to others. The underwriting theme of your essay is how your undocumented status has affected you as an individual. Please type your essay.

a. Tell us your story, about your family – how you ended up in R.I. Tell us about yourself: your dreams, hopes, and aspirations. For inspiration, visit this website (www.cesarchavezsholarshipsri.org) and read the César Chávez Core Values—which include among other values: self-determination, service to others, and equality and justice—and use this as a guide.
b. How would you describe your high school or college experience as an undocumented student, and what are your personal and academic goals when you enroll in college?
c. Is there something or someone who gave you the greatest motivation for attending or staying in college?
d. If you are a DACA student, how has DACA changed your life? What are your goals and what motivates you now to reach your personal and academic goals?
e. Re- applicants: What would you say to undocumented students in high school with regard to setting personal and academic goals? How is school different now for you, as an undocumented student, than when you were in high school?
➢ Should you be awarded a scholarship, we will ask for proof of college enrollment once you are accepted.
➢ You must agree to stay in touch with us during the first semester after receiving the award.
➢ YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE YOUR SCHOLARSHIP CHECK until you have a one-on-one interview with someone from the committee.
➢ IMPORTANT: Recipients must agree in writing to volunteer to speak with other undocumented students seeking advice during the first year after receiving the award.


Instructions
1. Send only the application materials listed in the previous page. Do not include these instructions.
2. Please use the attached fillable form for your Personal Statement. If you choose to type on a separate piece of paper, please follow these instructions: clearly label your Personal Statement as “Personal Statement” on the top right hand corner. Your Personal Statement must have a one-inch margin and be double-spaced. If typed (highly encouraged), font must be no smaller than Times New Roman size 11. No handwritten statements, please! It's important that you write your name at the top of each page and also number each page.
3. If you choose to mail, provide all application materials into one large envelope in the following order. If you E-Mail them, write corresponding letters at the top of each document:
✔︎ Scholarship Application (on top of all documents)
✔︎ Letter(s) of Recommendation (behind Scholarship Application)
✔︎ Personal Statement (behind Letter(s) of Recommendation)
✔︎ Copy of High School or GED Transcript; for second-year applicant, a copy of your first-semester grades (behind Personal Statement)
4. Everything must be mailed or E-Mailed together. Recommenders may provide sealed letters but they must still be mailed together with the other application materials. The same goes for high school or GED transcripts. Your GED diploma can be a copy, but it must have an original seal or signature from the program director – contact us if this is an issue. Please plan accordingly and give yourself sufficient time to gather all application materials. If you choose to E-Mail your application, you must submit all letters and necessary documentation at once. Letters must be signed, scanned in PDF format and attached with your E-Mail application.
5. Only complete applications will be accepted.
➢ Make sure your application is postmarked by February 26, 2016 and E-Mailed or mailed to the address below. If you E-Mail your application, be sure to include a cover note, along with the date submitted.
➢ You can also fill out the online application upon reading these guidelines.

You may E-Mail your application or use regular mail when submitting your application. Just be mindful of the deadline. All unpaid/insufficient postage will be returned.

Definition of “Extracurricular Activities”- activities performed by students that fall outside the realm of the normal curriculum of school or college education. Such activities are generally voluntary as opposed to mandatory, non-paying, social, philanthropic as opposed to scholastic, and often involve others of the same age.