Garden Club of America
Coastal Wetlands Scholarship
Garden Club Coastal
Wetlands Scholarship Instructions
The four items listed below should be submitted by midnight eastern time, January 15. Please include the name of the applicant and “GCA” in the subject line of email messages.
1. Application Form - The online application form includes basic contact information and a short summary (500 character max) of the project in layperson's language.
2. Project Information - No more than 5 pages including references. Use 12 point or larger font. Submit as a Word document or pdf to gcawetlands@vims.edu.
Include:
- Statement of Work
- What portions of work have already been completed (if any)
- How the study benefits coastal wetlands
- How funds would be used
- Plans or opportunities for sharing research results with a larger audience
3. Vita - No more than 2 pages. Submit as a Word document or pdf to gcawetlands@vims.edu.
At a minimum include:
- Relevant education, work, and volunteer experience
- Publications and presentations
- Career goals
- Names and contact information for 3 references
4. Letter of Endorsement from Applicant's Major Professor/Advisor - The advisor should email this letter directly to the GCA Award Committee at gcawetlands@vims.edu by Jan 15 with the name of the applicant and "GCA reference letter" in the subject line.
The letter should:
- Identify the student
- Indicate the status of the student in the graduate degree program
- Evaluate the student’s ability as an independent researcher
The selection committee will consider all complete applications received on or before midnight eastern time January 15. An application packet is not considered complete until the letter of endorsement is received. It is the responsibility of the applicant to be sure all components have been submitted by following up with his/her advisor.
The committee forwards its top selections to the Garden Club of America by the end of February for their annual meeting in New York. The Garden Club of America makes final decisions regarding the number of awards to be made each year according to available funding. The Garden Club of American officially notifies the award recipients via letter. All applicants are typically notified of the selection process outcome by early April.
Funding and Acceptance of Scholarship Terms - It would be preferable that funding from the Garden Club of America Scholarship be used for expenses related to support of field work or lab analysis (e.g., supplies, outside lab analysis, transportation, field technician assistance, etc.) However, the GCA does NOT require a detailed expense report for these funds. Once the funds are received by the scholarship winner, they belong to the recipient and not to the university.