Maryland State Golf Association Scholarships

Scholarship Sponsored by Maryland State Golf Association

Introduction / Purpose
The Maryland State Golf Association (MSGA) Scholarship exists solely for charitable and educational purposes. Its mission is to provide educational financial assistance to: (1) employees of MSGA member clubs/courses and their children, and (2) students who have completed their junior year of high school and who have a bona fide connection to golf.

Eligibility
Applicants eligible for consideration include:
- Individuals who have worked at MSGA member clubs or courses for at least two (2) years, and their children; and
- Students who have finished their junior year of high school and who have a verifiable connection to golf.

All candidates will be assessed using consistent, objective criteria and a single application form. Applicants must satisfy the minimum admission requirements of an accredited postsecondary institution (college, university, junior college, or vocational school) and must be reasonably expected to enroll. Selection will be made without regard to race, sex, religion, or national origin.

Award Amount and Number
The Scholarship Selection Committee will recommend the number of awards and the amount to be granted to each recipient. The MSGA (through its Scholarship Committee and Board of Directors) will finalize the aggregate funding available and may reduce—but not increase—the number of scholarships recommended by the Selection Committee.

Public Notice and Application Access
MSGA will publicize the scholarship opportunity at its annual meeting and on the MSGA website (www.msga.org). All notices will clearly identify MSGA as the scholarship sponsor. Application forms will be provided to interested candidates and may be obtained from the MSGA office at 10455 Falls Road, Lutherville, MD 21093, telephone 410-653-5300.

Scholarship Selection Committee
An independent Scholarship Selection Committee, appointed by the MSGA, will screen applications and name finalists. If a committee member is related to an applicant, that committee member must recuse himself or herself for that application year; the remaining committee members shall choose a substitute by majority vote. The Scholarship Selection Committee is responsible for confirming each applicant’s eligibility.

Selection Standards and Procedure
Selections will be based exclusively on objective criteria that reflect the scholarship’s purposes. Each applicant must submit a fully completed application form. Where applicable, the applicant’s school principal must complete portions of the form and forward the completed application (excluding the Candidate’s Statement, which the applicant submits) directly to the Scholarship Selection Committee via the MSGA office.

Evaluation factors will include, but are not limited to:
- Academic record and past scholastic performance;
- Standardized test results or other measures of aptitude for higher education;
- Class rank;
- Financial need;
- Letters of recommendation from instructors or others independent of the candidate;
- Participation in extracurricular activities and demonstrated leadership.

Applications will be scored on a 100-point scale, with 100 as the maximum. More detailed scoring instructions for committee members are set forth in Exhibit A.

Funding Allocation and Finalization
Before deliberations begin, MSGA will determine and notify the Scholarship Selection Committee of the total scholarship funds available for that year. Based on that aggregate amount and the ranked applicant pool, the Selection Committee will decide how the available funds should be allocated among recipients and present its recommended awards to MSGA for verification that selection criteria were followed. MSGA may not increase the number of awards recommended by the Selection Committee but may, at its discretion, reduce the number of awards.

Award Notification and Public Announcement
The MSGA will present scholarships in accordance with the Selection Committee’s recommendations, subject to MSGA’s discretion to reduce the number of awards. Scholarship recipients will be publicly announced at the MSGA year-end annual banquet, with MSGA clearly identified as the grantor. Each recipient will also receive formal notification of their award by letter from MSGA.