The Edelweiss Fund

Currently this scholarship opportunity is not open for application.  Please visit this page regularly for updates on scholarship availability for the Fall 2013 semester (coming soon).  Download the 2012 application and information here for informational purposes and to get an understanding of what will be required in the upcoming 2013 application.

In fall 2008, donors who wish to remain anonymous made a generous gift to the University of Wyoming Outreach School.  This gift has been placed in an investment account managed by the UW Foundation and is to be known as The Edelweiss Fund.  It is the desire of the Edelweiss Fund to make a difference for a few select students and award scholarships for the duration of the recipients’ degree program. The fund should not be used to support numerous individuals for short periods in a way that is inadequate for degree completion. This will decrease the probability of scholarship students not completing their academic programs due to financial hardship.
 
 The purpose of this fund is to award scholarships to one or more University of Wyoming Outreach School students so they can complete their recognized University distance delivered academic programs. The scholarship will be for the duration of the time required for the recipients to complete their selected academic programs or until they no longer meet the criteria set forth below, complete their degrees, or discontinue their education.
 
Priority for receipt of a scholarship will be given to:

• Students newly or recently enrolled in an academic program delivered through the University of Wyoming’s Outreach School.
• Female non-traditional, preferably Wyoming resident, “first-generation” students (i.e., students coming from families that have not had members graduate from college).
• Single mothers.

Qualified students having longer term attachments to the State of Wyoming, such as having been born or raised in Wyoming or having lived in Wyoming for a number of years. However, non-Wyoming residents may also be considered on merit and their depth of need of assistance with living expenses.

 
The scholarship will be given to a student for up to 6 years or until completion of the proposed degree program. To maintain the scholarship the recipient must show continued academic progress and maintain a grade point average at or above the required level to receive the proposed degree. Students receiving scholarships will be evaluated annually to determine if funding should continue for the coming year. Students will also maintain regular contact with a mentor assigned by the Outreach School. In addition, recipients will be required to complete any additional requirements as determined by the Dean of the University of Wyoming Outreach School or the Edelweiss Committee (i.e., thank you correspondence and communication with donors, periodic review of academic performance, agreeing to participate in events to celebrate the Edelweiss Funds and/or the UW Outreach School; and participation in a community service activity).
 
Should the Edelweiss Fund Scholar receive other funding, such as Pell Grants or similar funding, the Edelweiss Funds may be withdrawn or reduced.

Edelweiss Fund Scholars Program Criteria

Students applying for consideration as an Edelweiss Fund Scholar must meet the following criteria:
 
Selection Criteria:

• Be a part- or full- time student enrolled in at least 6 credit hours (at least 3 of which must be through the University of Wyoming Outreach School each semester);
• Be pursuing a University of Wyoming degree delivered  through the Outreach School;
• Be eligible for federal student financial aid through the University of Wyoming (must have filed a FAFSA for 2009-2010 prior to the application deadline); and
• Have demonstrated promise of academic excellence.

 
Conditions of Maintaining the Award:

• Must be making satisfactory progress toward the proposed degree as outlined in the selected  program of study;
• Maintain required GPA for academic program;
• Undergo annual review by the Outreach School Edelweiss Committee;
• Meet with mentor (such as a regional Academic Coordinator or other Outreach School advisor regularly, but at least at mid-year to review academic progress;
• Agree to participate in a year-end luncheon program to share publicly how receiving the scholarship positively affected family life and academic endeavors;
• Agree to send a thank-you letter for the award to the Fund within 30 days of notification of selection; and
• Complete any other requirements as specified by the Dean of the Outreach School and/or the Edelweiss Committee

Currently this scholarship opportunity is not open for application.  Please visit this page regularly for updates on scholarship availability for the Fall 2013 semester (coming soon).  Download the 2012 application and information here for informational purposes and to get an understanding of what will be required in the upcoming 2013 application.

Hear from recent Edelweiss Fund recipients and how this program has impacted their lives.

2011 Edelweiss Fund Recipients - News Release

Edelweiss Fund Supports Non-Traditional Wyoming Students

By Jeff McDonald, University of Wyoming Outreach School

January 28, 2011 - Emily Williams and Jessica Kimzey, two non-traditional Wyoming students in the University of Wyoming Outreach School, have been selected as the newest recipients of the Edelweiss Fund Scholarship beginning with the spring 2011 semester. Williams is a psychology major in Teton County, and Kimzey lives in Albany County and is completing her master’s of public administration.

Established in 2009, the Edelweiss Fund supports non-traditional students who may not otherwise be able to continue their education.

This fund goes further than the normal scholarship.  Rather than receiving financial support for just one year, recipients may receive support for the duration of their degree programs, up to six years.

The scholarship is also unique in that it can be used for living expenses, childcare, housing, vehicle maintenance, and academic expenses. The amount of the award is based on each student’s individual needs.

Both Williams and Kimzey attend UW through distance-education technology, and both have the challenge of finding a balance between school, work, caring for children and family members, and maintaining a home. As Williams states, “I find the ability to attend school while working and without having to relocate a substantial opportunity that promises to increase the quality of my life by both enhancing my financial security and providing me with a larger set of job skills.”

Although Williams does not have children of her own, she has taken on the immense responsibility of caring for her cousin’s young child as well as caring for her aunt, who is ill.  This has brought additional financial burden to her as she continues to balance work, school, and home life in a region with a high cost of living.

Williams’ goal is to complete her undergraduate psychology degree and enter UW’s Speech Pathology graduate program.  As for her plans beyond graduation, she said sees herself working in Wyoming as a speech therapist and volunteering for local organizations in need of her skills.

Kimzey began her work in the M.P.A. program through the UW Outreach School in 2008.  She says she feels this degree will enrich her experience in a management position as well as further her career in the public sector.  “Thankfully, the M.P.A. program is perfectly tailored to a working adult’s lifestyle,” Kimzey says.

In 2010, Kimzey experienced complications in her pregnancy with her first child.  Her healthy daughter was born in March, but she had incurred unexpected hospital and related debt associated with her complications.  Being a new mother, she became overwhelmed with finding childcare, maintaining an income, and meeting additional financial obligations while trying to continue to be a student.

Kimzey began to doubt that she would be able to complete her studies, especially at the high academic level that she had previously achieved. She applied for financial assistance from the Edelweiss Fund to help her finally clear the last hurdle and reach her goal of graduating at the conclusion of the spring 2011 semester.  Without this support, she says she feared that a goal that was so nearly in her grasp could slip away.

Williams and Kimzey join Renae Ragsdale and Elizabeth Mendoza as a growing group of recipients of the Edelweiss Fund. Ragsdale, of Fremont County, is a recipient from 2010 who continues to receive funding and studies professional child development in the Family and Consumer Sciences program. Mendoza, of Goshen County, graduated from the UW College of Business in December 2010.

To be eligible for the Edelweiss Fund, applicants must be non-traditional, first-generation students who have long-term ties to Wyoming. In addition, preference is given to working mothers who show academic promise in their degree field, so the scholarship gives them the opportunity to spend more time with their children and concentrate on their studies.

“This scholarship is incredibly helpful to me and my family,” Kimzey says.  Williams says the scholarship will give her a greater opportunity to give back: “I will be able to make a strong contribution to my community and state by utilizing the professional skills gained through my education.”

Currently this scholarship opportunity is not open for application.  Please visit this page regularly for updates on scholarship availability for the Fall 2013 semester (coming soon).  Download the 2012 application and information here for informational purposes and to get an understanding of what will be required in the upcoming 2013 application.