Putnam County Foundation announces 2012 scholarships

The recent Putnam County Community Foundation Scholarship Forum was attended by school leaders from Cloverdale, Greencastle, North Putnam, South Putnam, Area 30 and Ivy Tech. During the Forum at the Dixie Chopper Business Center, the Foundation announced that it will have nearly $230,000 to award in scholarships in 2012.

The Putnam County Community Foundation has announced newly available scholarship funds at the recent Scholarship Forum.

Sponsored by Hendricks Power Co-op and conducted at the Dixie Chopper Business Center at the Putnam County Airport, the Forum updates local leaders in education about Community Foundation scholarships.

During the Forum the Community Foundation announced that it will have nearly $230,000 to award in scholarships in 2012.

The Putnam County Community Foundation administers scholarship programs targeted at a variety of persons interested in furthering their education. In addition to scholarships for graduating seniors, the Community Foundation also administers scholarships for high school underclassmen and for non-traditional students.

Some scholarships are limited to students attending specific universities, but most may be used at any college or university. There are also scholarships available for tuition and fees at trade schools.

"Many people do not realize that the Community Foundation has scholarships for many different types of students," Marcus Whited, office manager for the Foundation, said. "We want everyone to know."

In addition to informing school personnel about scholarship availability, the Community Foundation educated Forum attendees about changes in the scholarship application process.

In an effort to make the process more user-friendly, the Community Foundation now provides applicants with the option to download and complete scholarship applications on their computers rather than completing them by hand.

Also new for 2012, the Foundation is asking all applicants to visit the website and submit the simple "Intent to Apply" form. The deadline for submitting the "Intent to Apply" form is Jan. 6.

Actual applications must be delivered to the Foundation office by 5 p.m. Jan. 13. Applications that are postmarked, but not delivered, on that date will not be accepted. The Foundation encourages all applicants to thoroughly review the instructions for the application process, as a failure to follow the instructions could result in an incomplete application.

All related materials, including applications and instructions, are available in the high school guidance offices, and online at www.pcfoundation.org under the scholarship tab. The website also provides a comprehensive list of all available scholarships and the criteria for each.

The Putnam County Community Foundation is a nonprofit public charity established in 1985 to serve donors, award grants, and provide leadership, enriching the quality of life and strengthening community in Putnam County.

The Community Foundation administers more than 225 funds and endowments for donors supporting a variety of charities. Questions about scholarships should be directed to office manager Marcus Whited at 653-4978 or mwhited@pcfoundation.org.