Three scholarships to be awarded across Florida

A $1,200 scholarship will make its way to three students later this Spring.

The Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections will award three scholarships to eligible Florida college and university students, said TJ Pyche, the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office spokesperson.

In order to be considered for the scholarship, students must be enrolled as a full-time junior or senior with a major in political science, public or business administration, journalism or mass communications.

Students must also be registered to vote in Florida, Pyche said.

Deadlines for scholarships is March 29 and winners are usually announced in early May, Pyche said.

The scholarships are given to help students further pursue degrees in higher education, he said.

“Every time we have the opportunity to help students ... that’s a really good position,” Pyche said.

Other requirements include two letters of recommendation, a financial statement and maintenance of a C average or above the previous year, Pyche said.

The scholarship is state-wide with each county reviewing applications submitted by students and conducting in-person interviews, Pyche said.

The county will then choose one student from all of the applicants to be considered by the association’s scholarship committee.

Stella Kim, a 21-year-old UF public relations senior, was one of last year’s scholarship recipients.

Kim said she first heard about the scholarship through the UF College of Journalism and Communications Knight Division Digest’s newsletter, a weekly newsletter that informs students about scholarships, jobs and internship opportunities.

Kim first applied two years prior but was denied. She tried again and won.

“I was shocked but extremely grateful and humble that I had gotten the scholarship, especially since it is state-wide and is very competitive,” Kim said.

Rejection always leads to redirection even if it takes time, Kim said.

“Go for it,” Kim said. “You are never losing or risking anything by applying.”