Forensics Scholarships

• Scholarship awards range from $300 to $13,000
• Early round deadline for 2017-2018 season: January  19, 2017

Our Scholarhips

Title: SMC Forensics Honors Award, $13,000 (three available for 2017-2018 season)

Who Can Apply: Very well qualified incoming frosh students who have competed successfully in debate for at least 2 years.

Criteria: In addition to meeting the Initial Requirements (below): Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5; outstanding competitive, leadership, and service record in the program; meet all initial and continuing eligibility requirements. This scholarship requires an audition, either in person or recorded, and an interview with the director.*

Title: General Forensics Debate Award, $2,000-6,000

Who Can Apply: All full-time undergraduates who actively participate in Macken Forensics and incoming frosh and transfer students who will participate in Macken Forensics.

Criteria: See “Initial Requirements,” for first-time applicants (below) and “Continuing Eligibility Requirements” for continuing team members (in application materials). For first-year students, this scholarship requires an audition, either in person or recorded, and an interview with the director.

Title: Kurt W. Simon Memorial Scholarship, varies by academic year

Who Can Apply: All full-time undergraduates who actively participate in Macken Forensics and incoming frosh  and transfer students who will participate in Macken Forensics.

Criteria: Contact Director of Forensics

Initial Eligibility Requirements (for all scholarships)

• Submit all required forensics scholarship application materials.
• High school or community college cumulative grade point average of not less than 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale), unless award specifically requires a higher minimum GPA.
• Commit to compete for full SMC enrollment.

Other Information Related to Forensics Scholarships

• Most scholarships are based on academic and competitive ability, not financial need.
• All scholarships are renewable.
• All team members on scholarship enroll as a full-time students at SMC.
• Team members enroll in both sections of Comm 191-Forensics Lab and agree to abide by the rules and procedures set forth in the syllabus. The fee for these upper-division labs are waived for team members on scholarship.
• Scholarship recipients are expected to actively participate in Macken Forensics activities and to make significant contributions in the following areas:
  • Participation in, and work during, on-campus activities including, but not limited to, high school and college tournaments, public debates, outreach programs, and regular team meetings, as determined by the coaching staff.
  • Research, practice, and other needs of the team, as determined by the coaching staff.
  • Generation and maintenance of an appropriate image for the College and Macken Forensics while participating in officially sanctioned activities.
  • Scholarship recipients are expected to be team leaders and exhibit a commitment to Macken Forensics beyond that of team members not on scholarship

TO APPLY

Complete the Macken Collegiate Forensics Scholarship Application.

Consider also applying for: Saint Mary's College General Scholarships:  $1,000-$28,000 annually.
These need-based grants are provided annually by both endowed funds and tuition revenues. Award amounts depend on student demonstrated financial need. However, several endowed scholarships have additional criteria, such as geographic restrictions or ethnic restrictions (e.g., Joseph David Cardoza scholarship for students of Portuguese descent).