Are scholarships free money?

Thursday, 05 January 2012 18:21

I have a “kitchen cabinet.” Not the kind that hangs on the wall, but one that consists of friends and family who give me free, sometimes unsolicited advice to help me gain clarity on an issue or to put some weight on the scales of my Libra deliberations.

A few weeks ago, our team developed a poster to attract potential scholarship applicants.  The first draft stated in bold at the top “Get FREE Money for College from The Community Foundation of Frederick County.”  I looked at it and was immediately taken aback.  The word “FREE” just didn’t sit well with me.  Our team decided to omit “FREE” and move forward with the poster.

A few days later, I was thinking about the poster.  I couldn’t figure out why the word “FREE” bothered me so much. “FREE” would definitely get the potential applicants’ attention.  Were we correct in taking it out?

I asked the Kitchen Cabinet.

The “Spoon” (my friend who likes to dish it out) told me that the decision was made, the posters were being printed, and I should just forget about it.

The “Fork” (a former colleague who can pick apart any issue) told me that “FREE” made it look like it was a hand-out, not a scholarship awarded based upon structured, publicized criteria.  Moreover, to our donors who generously support these scholarships, their money surely wasn’t “FREE.”  They worked hard so that they could now share their resources with others.  Lastly, the “Fork” shared her belief that our donors started these funds with the hope that the scholars will someday be able to make their own contributions to Frederick County, professionally and personally.  No, none of this symbolized “FREE” to her.

And the “Knife” (a family member who quickly cuts to the heart of each matter) told me that “FREE” was misleading because scholarships are a transaction.  The students must uphold their end of the deal – go to school, get acceptable grades, be a part of their community, obtain their degrees – in exchange for receiving the scholarship.

So, the Kitchen Cabinet was able to articulate my negative gut reaction about “FREE.”  The Community Foundation’s scholarships, available for students pursuing a post-secondary education at the institution of their choice, aren’t gratis.  They come with expectations for high marks, completing the course of study, and good standing.  It also comes with the donors’  expectations that their contributions will be used by the students to pursue their academic dreams so that they can find meaningful work, making our community an even better place that is For Good. Forever. For Frederick County.

Click here for more information about the Community Foundation’s scholarship programs.

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