The Foundation believes in equipping students with the knowledge, skills, values, beliefs and discipline needed to achieve their educational goals.  With these tools and opportunities, personal success can be achieved.  Scholarships provided by the Foundation can range from $500 to $4,000.  Scholarships can be awarded up to two (2) times during an applicant’s undergraduate degree program.  Scholarship applicants must meet the following requirements in order to apply:

• Be of African-American descent
• Be accepted and enrolled in an accredited four-year college or university for the school year that follows the application submission period
• Have a cumulative GPA of 2.70 or higher on a 4.00 scale (3.70 or higher on a 5.00 scale)
• Be engage in or was engaged in extra-curricular activities and/or community service
• Be a U.S. citizen

• High School Graduates of the past two years
• First-time degree Undergraduate Students

1. Complete the candidate information forms below.
2. Download the Recommendation Form (click here to download) and get it completed by a nonrelative (e.g., professor, counselor, clergy, employer) before moving to step #3. Note that only completed Recommendation Forms will be reviewed. Recommendation letters are NOT acceptable.
3. Upload (see below) your current school year’s transcript.
4. Upload (see below) your completed Recommendation Form. (Alternatively, your recommender can email the form to contact@smiling-eyes.org before the submission period expires)
5. Click Submit and wait about 8 seconds for the submission confirmation message to be displayed.
6. Email a 3 to 5-minute video that addresses the appropriate Video Submission Questions (new or returning applicant) to contact@smiling-eyes.org.  Note that your video (e.g., mp4 format, mov format) must be 24MB or less and viewable via computer or mobile device.  Alternatively, you may also email a link and any necessary password to access your video.  Please verify that your finished video is viewable on someone else’s computer or mobile device.  After 48 hours of your application submission, if you do not receive email confirmation that your video was received, be sure to check your junk folder or follow-up (contact@smiling-eyes.org) with Smiling Eyes Foundation.

Note: Your application will be considered as incomplete if all of the required files are not submitted according to the ‘How To Apply’ instructions.  Smiling Eyes Foundation reserves the right to update or modify the application requirements and selection criteria at any time.

New Applicant Questions

• From an introductory standpoint, what can you say about yourself and your family in 30 to 60 seconds?
• What 4 words would you use to describe yourself and why?
• What accomplishment are you most proud of and why?
• If you could be anyone for a day, who would you be and why?
• Why do you feel you should be considered for a scholarship?
• What are your career goals and how do you plan to make a difference in your community?

Returning Applicant Questions

• Can you please describe a valuable personal life lesson you have learned while in college?
• What do you think makes you successful in college?
• Can you describe a time in college when you were not satisfied or pleased with your performance?
• What has been your favorite class and why?
• What advice would you give to a 1st year college student?

• Application Submission Period: May 6th through July 5th by 5pm
• Award Notification Date: By August 9th

Scholarship award and award amount decisions are made by the Smiling Eyes Foundation Board following the review and scoring of all applications submitted within the submission period each year.  Only the highest scoring twelve (12) to fifteen (15) applicants will be awarded a scholarship each calendar year.  Applications submitted after the deadline each year will not be reviewed.  All applications will be reviewed for the following:

• Completeness (submission information, transcript, recommendation form, and video of responses to questions)
• Compliance with the application and application submission requirements
• Confirmation of academic achievement
• Video Presentation Evaluation Score (response completeness, creativity, formal delivery, clear introduction and conclusion, and volume and expression)

Note: Priority will be given to recent high school graduates (within past two years). Your application submission signifies your understanding and acknowledgement that all application review and scholarship decisions made by Smiling Eyes Foundation are final.

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