Coss Family Foundation

There are two types of scholarships now available: The Coss Family Foundation Traditional Scholarship for college-bound high-school seniors, and the new Coss Family Foundation Non-Traditional Adult Scholarship for adults who did not attend or complete college right after high school.

The applicant must:

• be a high school senior graduating from a high school in Dakota or Ramsey counties in Minnesota, or Buffalo, Hand, Hyde, Meade, or Pennington counties in South Dakota, and
• plan to enroll at least half-time (6 credits) in an undergraduate course of study at an accredited degree-granting two- or four-year college or university, including a technical college. Acceptable accreditation is determined by The Saint Paul Foundation.

The application for the scholarship can be found at http://sms.scholarshipamerica.org/cossfamily/. More information on filling out the financial information on the form can be found in this .pdf document: http://sms.scholarshipamerica.org/cossfamily/guidelines.pdf.

1. Go to the link above. Follow the link to the application itself. Click on it. It will open in a new window (as a .pdf file).
2. Fill out the application, either by printing it out or by saving it on your computer, typing in your answers and printing it out. You cannot submit it online.
3. In addition to the application, please submit:
   1. a current, complete transcript of grades
   2. a personal statement as outlined on the application
   3. two letters of recommendation, written by non-family members who know you personally
   More information on the requirements is included in the application.
4. Submit the documents to the following address (found in the application), postmarked no later than February 10:

   Coss Family Foundation Scholarship Fund
   Scholarship Management Services, attn: Maria Lokensgard
   One Scholarship Way
   Saint Peter, MN 56082

Grade reports are not acceptable. Applicants will receive notice that their application has been received. If an acknowledgment card is not received within three weeks, applicants may call Scholarship Management Services at 1-507-931-1682 to verify that the application has been received.

Applicants should seek help from their high school guidance counselors in gathering and submitting all necessary information. Applications are evaluated on the information supplied; therefore, answer all questions as completely as possible. All information received is considered confidential.

Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of financial need, academic record, demonstrated leadership, participation in school as well as community activities, work experience, and other factors. The applicant's personal statement and letters of recommendation are also considered.

Applicants will be notified in early May of their selection for the scholarship award.

If selected as a recipient, the student may receive an award ranging from $500 to $3,500.

Awards may be renewed for up to three additional years or until a bachelor's degree is earned, whichever occurs first. Renewal is contingent upon satisfactory academic performance. First year students are required to maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. After the freshman year, recipients are required to maintain a cumulative 2.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale.

Awards may be used for tuition, fees, required books and supplies. Awards are for undergraduate study only.

Payments are made in equal installments on August 15 and December 30. Checks are mailed to each recipient's home address and are made payable to the school for the student's account.

Recipients have no obligation to the Coss Family Foundation, The Saint Paul Foundation, or Scholarship Management Services. They are, however, required to notify Scholarship Management Services of any changes in address, school enrollment, or other relevant information and to send a complete transcript when requested.

In 2009, Lawrence and Virginia Coss established a second scholarship program through their foundation. This program is geared toward adults who did not attend or complete college immediately after high school.

Applications for this unique scholarship are available through guidance counselors at Black Hills State University and Western Dakota Technical Institute in South Dakota, or through guidance counselors at Dakota County Technical College and Saint Paul College in Minnesota.

In addition, each applicant must write and submit a personal statement explaining why they should receive this scholarship and how it will help them.

The completed applications and required material must be received by March 15.