The Troth Scholarship Fund
1. The Troth Scholarship Fund shall be funded by donations. The Troth may opt to earmark revenue for the Scholarship Fund from the sale of designated publications or other merchandise, at its discretion. The Scholarship Fund shall not be funded out of the general operating budget, and its funds may not be transferred to the general operating budget.
2. The Troth Scholarship Fund shall be overseen by the Scholarship Committee, which shall consist of at least three Full Members in good standing of the Troth, one of whom shall be a sitting member of the Rede. At least one of the members should have a strong professional academic background, if at all possible. The Committee may vote to expand its membership if it deems this necessary, but should maintain an odd number of members. The Committee will keep the Rede informed of its activities and decisions.
3. The Scholarship Fund shall be used to award at least one educational or training scholarship per year of at least $500. Any remaining balance will be carried over to the next fiscal year. If the Fund has less than $500, or if no suitable candidates apply for a scholarship, no scholarship will be awarded that year. At the discretion of the Scholarship Committee, the amount of the Scholarship may be raised if funds are available; alternatively, more than one scholarship may be awarded in a year. In no case will the amount of a scholarship drop below $500.
4. Candidates for the Troth Scholarship must be currently enrolled, or accepted for admission, in any degree-granting post- secondary educational institution, whether a junior college, four-year college, graduate university, trade school, or specialized institution that awards college-level degrees (for example, a college of art or design). The institution must be accredited by a reputable and rigorous accreditation agency.
5. Candidates for the Troth Scholarship must be Full Members of the Troth in good standing. Candidates may reside anywhere in the world, but non-US candidates should be advised that different countries have educational systems with various regulations that may make it difficult for the Troth to award a scholarship.
6. Candidates must submit proof of enrollment; a letter of recommendation from a professor, teacher, guidance counselor, or other person who is qualified to evaluate the candidate’s academic potential; and a transcript of their coursework, or, if in a high school or equivalent, a transcript of their high school coursework. Candidates must also submit an essay on a topic that the Scholarship Committee will select for that academic year. Plagiarism, academic dishonesty, or falsification of academic records will be grounds for immediate and permanent disqualification.
7. Candidates will be judged first and foremost on their academic qualifications, as shown by their transcripts, letters of recommendation, and essays. However, in the event that two or more candidates are equally qualified, the Committee shall give preference to candidates whose extracurricular activities include some sort of community service – Heathen, Pagan, and secular - to include volunteering at their local Pagan Pride Day.
8. The Committee will decide the winner or winners by simple majority vote. The Committee is not obliged to award any scholarship at all, if it feels that none of the applicants in any given year are well-qualified. The Committee’s deliberations shall be kept confidential, and its decisions are final.
9. The deadline for applications will be April 1. The winner or winners will be announced in early June.
10. At the recommendation of the Scholarship Committee, Troth Scholarships may be paid to the student for the acquisition of books or supplies that are necessary to complete the degree, or the Scholarship money may be paid directly to the Financial Aid Office of the student's educational institution. In the event that the scholarship is paid directly to the student, receipts reflecting the amount of the scholarship spent must be submitted to the Scholarship Committee. Any remaining scholarship funds may be placed on the student's account for use toward the student's meal plan or other facilities costs associated directly with the school. Evidence of use of the scholarship money must be provided by the end of the scholastic year for which the scholarship was awarded. If receipts are not provided, The Troth will issue a form 1099 and the recipient will need to pay tax on the scholarship money.
11. Troth Scholarship recipients are strongly encouraged to give back to the Troth a sample of the fruits of their academic labors. This need not be a financial donation, but could be an article or articles written for IDUNNA or another Troth publication, or volunteer service to the Troth in some capacity.
Questions about the scholarship may be directed to:
Ryan Denison
Scholarship Committee Chair
scholarship@thetroth.org