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Scholarship Program

The Commission for Women voted at their meeting on October 5, 2015, to change the name of "The Girls at Risk Educational Scholarship Program" to "The Los Angeles County Commission for Women (LACCW) Resilience Scholarship Program."

The scholarship program was created in 1999.  This is when the Commission for Women hosted an annual Run/Walk event to raise funds for young women.  The Commission has taken proceeds from this and other annual events to provide over 300 young women supplemental educational scholarships.

The Commission, as throughout Los Angeles County was hit with economic challenges in 2011.  And the Commission has not been able to host the Run/Walk event since 2011.  Knowing this could risk the further assistance to young women, the Commission utilized its Women of the Year event, to continue to raise funds for the LACCW Resilience Scholarship Program.

These girls and their special and varied circumstances are given the option to use their funds not solely for tuition, but for other fundamentals such as books, medical insurance, school supplies, child care and clothing.

The goal of the Commission is to have equal representation from each Supervisorial District.  Therefore, first-time candidates must reside in Los Angeles County.

A short testimonial video clip, defining HERstory: Past, Present & Future.  This counter-narrative describes the remarkable resilience of our scholarship recipients, who have triumphed in the face of tremendous obstacles.

The application for the 2024 Educational Scholarship is now available.

Los Angeles County Commission for Women 

RESILIENCE SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION JANET ELLIOTT MUMMEY, ESQ. Deadline: March 15, 2024

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO APRIL 1, 2024 AT 5:00 P.M.

Commissioner Janet Elliot Mummey, Esq., had the foresight and impetus to create the Resilience Scholarship.  A tireless champion for women, children, and the elderly, she dedicated her professional career to empowering and improving women's education.  Since the inception of the Resilience Scholarship in 1999, the Los Angeles County Commission for Women has maintained its steadfast commitment to this invaluable endeavor.  The Commission for Women has awarded close to $400,000 in educational scholarships to women throughout Los Angeles County.

SCHOLARSHIP PURPOSE

The Resilience Scholarship has ultimately evolved as a source of financial support and motivational resource for women within Los Angeles County wishing to pursue a college degree or post-secondary certification program. The scholarship seeks to support women and girls whose resilience and determination have overcome considerable hardship.  As such, our scholarship funds can subsidize incidentals above and beyond allowable expenses covered by federal and state financial aid.

APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

1. First-time applicants must reside within Los Angeles County.

2. Students must attend an accredited university, community college or post-secondary certification program and provide proof of enrollment.

3. High school seniors (12th graders) must graduate with their high school diploma or GED by June 2024 and attend a university, community college, or vocational/trade school in Fall 2024.

4. Student applicants must have a minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA.

5. Prior applicants can reapply and be considered by verifying continued enrollment in an academic or vocational program.

6. Continuous applicants enrolled at a college or university are not required to maintain residency in Los Angeles County to be considered.

Priority consideration is given to applicants pursuing a community college or an undergraduate degree.

APPLICANT GUIDELINES

1. The completed application packet must be submitted by 5:00 PM on March 15, 2024.

A complete application includes:

✔ Scholarship application 

✔ Two essay statements 

✔ Two letters of recommendation 

✔ Official transcripts or a class enrollment schedule.

2. Combine the application and attachments as a single document and submit as a PDF.

(https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/online/convert-pdf.html). Links will not be accepted! 

3.  The essay should contain 500 words, and must be typed and in MLA format (https://mlaformat.org/).  Essays will be evaluated and scored based on subject matter, grammar, spelling, and sentence structure.  Please include information on being a first-generation college student.  A scoring rubric is defined in the following section below “Scholarship Evaluation and Selection Process”.

4. The letters of recommendation must be addressed to the LACCW Resilience Scholarship and come from a teacher, academic counselor, employer, mentor, clergy/religious leader, and/or a representative from a social service agency.  The letters are character references and should address work, volunteer activities, or academic achievement, as well as potential perseverance.  Unsigned letters without the author’s contact information and a current date (December 2023 - March 2024) will not be considered.

5. Submit application and any inquiries to commission services staff at: laccw@bos.lacounty.gov.

** Once your application is submitted, it is considered official. Incomplete (missing an essay or letters of recommendation) and handwritten applications will be disqualified, and additional documents will not be accepted after your initial submission.

SCHOLARSHIP EVALUATION and SELECTION PROCESS

Los Angeles County staff will first review the scholarship applications to determine if an applicant meets the eligibility criteria.  As of March 2021, the LACCW gives priority to applicants pursuing a community college degree or an undergraduate degree at a university (new criteria).  Only completed applications received by the deadline that contain all required documents will be considered by the Education Committee for review and scoring.  Applications will be evaluated and scored using the following rubric:

● First Essay Statement: 0 - 30 points 

● Second Essay Statement: 0 - 30 points 

● Letters of Recommendation: 0 - 10 points (5 points for each letter) 

● Applicants Overall Resilience: 0 - 30 points

SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION

It is possible to receive multiple financial aid sources, including grants, loans, or other scholarships.  Some sources of financial aid may place restrictions or limitations on the use of funds.  However, the Resilience Scholarship can cover incidental costs that extend above and beyond fees and tuition.

Example of Incidental Costs

✔ School supplies and equipment

✔ eBooks, textbook rentals

✔ Computers, tablets, smart devices, calculators, printers, and educational software

✔ Eye, Dental or Health Insurance

✔ Childcare

INFORMATION FOR SELECTED RECIPIENTS

Selected recipients will be required to participate in a virtual orientation and attend the Resilience Scholarship Ceremony presentation of the Scrolls presented by the Board of Supervisors.  Prior to issuing the scholarship check, you must be able to provide and show the following documents:

✔ Valid ID; CA Driver’s license, CA ID, US Passport, Photo ID, or School ID

✔ Social Security card or ITIN card

✔ First-time recipients must submit proof of enrollment (class schedule) and first-term grades

✔ Subsequent recipients must submit most recent term grades and proof of enrollment for next term

** Combine all required documents into a single document and submit as a PDF

APPLY HERE.

After submitting your application you must submit your supplemental documents (Two Letter's of Recommendation, transcripts and Proof of Enrollment to: lacccw@bos.lacounty.gov)

We congratulate our past and future Educational Scholarship awardees and wish them all the best in their education endeavors and future careers.  For additional information contact us at laccw@bos.lacounty.gov or by phone at (213) 974-1455.