Scholarship Information

ELIGIBILITY
Those eligible to apply are high school seniors, college freshman, sophomores and juniors who are:

1. Sons and daughters of full-time employees of firms which are members of the Alabama Grocers Association. The parent employee must have been employed for at least 2 years as of January 1 of the year in which the scholarships are awarded.

2. Full-time students who are part-time employees who have been employed by a member firm for at least six months as of January 1 of the year in which the scholarships are awarded. The applicant must have worked an average of 15 hours per week during a six-month eligibility period.

NOTE: The applicants or parents of applicants must still be employed by an AGA member firm at the time the winners are selected in April.

SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
Two types of Alabama Grocers Association Scholarships are awarded. Both types of awards are for one year.

1. For the children of full-time employees, the scholarships are grants of $1,000.00.  

2. For part-time employees who are full-time students, the scholarships are grants of $500.00.  

Both types of awards may be used at any accredited non-profit college or university in the United States. Recipients may transfer from one college to another and retain the awards. Winners of these scholarships may reapply in subsequent years if they or their parents continue to be employed by an AGA member firm.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE
By December 15 of each year, the beginning of the competition for the scholarships is announced. Applications and descriptive brochures are sent to those who request them on Scholarship Application Request Forms. The application and the brochure contain instructions about deadlines and other important information.

SELECTION OF WINNERS
An impartial Selection Committee composed of educators meets in April to select the winners. In evaluating the applicants, the committee considers the applicants’ academic records, test scores, extracurricular activities and recommendations. Winners are selected largely on the basis of academic merit. All applicants are notified of the results of the competition by May 31.

PAYMENT OF SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS
Payment is made in equal installments directly to the college or university at the beginning of each academic term upon receipt of an Enrollment Certificate by the Scholarship Program Administrator. Funds are not normally transmitted to the student.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF RECIPIENTS
Scholarship recipients must enroll as full-time students in the fall of the year in which the scholarships are awarded and continue in school for the entire academic year without interruption, barring illness, emergency or military service. Recipients are responsible for having Enrollment Certificates completed at the beginning of each quarter or semester. Enrollment Certificates, which are supplied by the Scholarship Program Administrator, are used to verify enrollment and to trigger payment.

PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION
To assure complete impartiality in the selection of winners and to maintain a high level of professionalism in dealing with the students, parents, high schools, colleges, the Alabama Grocers Association Scholarship Program is administered by Scholarship Program Administrators, Inc., a firm that specializes in the administration of sponsored scholarship programs.

The funds supporting the Alabama Grocers Association Scholarship Program are provided through the generosity of supporters of the:

Alabama Grocers Education Foundation
300 Vestavia Parkway, Suite 3500
Birmingham, Alabama 35216
(205) 823-5498 Fax (205) 823-5146
The Alabama Grocers Association Scholarship Program is administered by:
Dr. Paul Sands
L. Paul Sands & Associates
8158 Golf Club Road
Mt. Pleasant, TN 38474
(931) 379-4639 Fax (931) 379-5921