Scholarship Clearinghouse

The Junior League of Midland, Inc.’s Scholarship Clearinghouse program is off to a great start this year!  Our team of seven mentors is busy meeting with high school seniors and walking them through the scholarship and financial aid application process. 

This process can be overwhelming for students as they try to sift through the thousands of scholarship applications available to them.  Our mentors sit down one-on-one with students  (and sometimes parents) to help them narrow their focus on scholarships that are the right fit for them, both at the local and national level.  We maintain a scholarship database, compiled and updated by committee members over the years, which students can browse through and find scholarships applicable to them.

Our mentors also discuss the financial aid process: how and when to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.  This application can be daunting for parents and students, especially first generation college students.  By explaining the process and the importance of this application, students are more likely to fill out the FAFSA and therefore, have a greater shot at obtaining federal financial aid such as grants and student loans. 

To sign students up for these informative sessions, our mentors attended Dawg Days at Midland High School and Rebel Muster at Lee High School in August.  We also attended the College Forum Night at Midland College earlier this month where we met students from all over the local area who are interested in going to college and of course, finding ways to pay for it. 

In addition to helping students find local and national scholarships, we also encourage them to fill out an application for JLM’s very own scholarship, which we award to deserving students in the spring.  

We are excited to help another generation of students in their pursuit of higher education.  It is very fulfilling to know that these students are gaining a greater chance at achieving their college goals by finding money to pay for college.  We certainly feel we are doing our part to keep kids in school at every age and every stage!  

-Megan Yancey, Active Member