Mark Douglas Sawyer Memorial Scholarship

Tribute:
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Sawyer have established this Fund in memory of their son and to celebrate the value of Catholic education. The Fund will support tuition assistance for students attending Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School in Anniston, Alabama. Mark attended Sacred Heart School for eight years and was head altar server during the seventh and eight grades. The MARK DOUGLAS SAWYER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND is a component fund of the Calhoun County Community Foundation and will be maintained as a permanent endowment to Mark's memory.

Awards:
Scholarships provide funding for full-time enrolled students of Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School, either at the elementary or high school levels. Depending on the Fund's annual income, the Calhoun County Community Foundation will project and allocate the annual assets available for tuition assistance. The Sacred Heart of Jesus School Scholarship Review Committee will further assess each applicant's background and financial need to recommend a final award amount. The award may be used solely to reduce the cost of annual tuition.

Application:
The Foundation will maintain and revise as necessary the guidelines and application documents. Applications will be available from the School's guidance department or from the Community Foundation. Applications must be submitted to the Community Foundation by May 1 of each year.

Eligibility:
Students must be enrolled on a full-time basis at the School. The scholarship will be awarded without regard to race, gender, national origin, or disability; however, the award is restricted to students who are practicing Catholics. Priority will be given to applicants with documented financial need. Applicants must reapply annually to be considered for future awards.

Review Committee:
The Sacred Heart of Jesus School Scholarship Review Committee will review all applications and make recommendations to the Foundation's Board of Trustees for final approval.

Review Process:
Parents or guardians are asked to submit application packets to the School by May 1; the staff will review the application for clarity and completeness; copies of applications, follow-up reports, and funding parameters will be forwarded to the Scholarship Review Committee; committee members will have four weeks to review the applications, conduct interviews if necessary; and hold a final recommendation meeting with the Foundation staff. This recommendation is then submitted to the Foundation's Board of Trustees for approval. Ideally, awards will be finalized prior to the beginning of the academic year.

Payment of Awards:
Payment is made at the beginning of the school year. Checks are made directly to the School and will be credited to the student's account.

Responsibility of Recipient:
Each scholarship recipient is responsible for maintaining a C or 2.5 average on a 4.0 grade scale in order to qualify for future awards.

These guidelines are not a contract. No obligation or liability of any kind will be imposed upon a scholarship recipient; nor will any obligation or liability be assumed by the Calhoun County Community Foundation, except as expressly stated in this document.

Program Continuation:
The Calhoun County Community Foundation retains the right to alter the guidelines or to discontinue the Mark D. Sawyer Memorial Scholarship Fund should there be a lack of financial resources to maintain the Fund.

Document Date: November 14, 2002