Scholarships for Women
While it was once rare to see women in higher education, now more women than men
are attending college. Though a lot of progress
has been made, inequalities still exist between men and women. Women still typically
earn less than men and occupy a smaller percentage of high-paying jobs than men.
So while women may be the majority of college students today, there are still many
reasons for organizations to offer scholarships for women to try to close these
gaps. Such scholarships can be great news for female students, as they can help
you pursue a career you may not have originally considered, or to follow your dreams
without taking out a lot of student loans.
Often, scholarships for women have a specific goal in mind, whether it is to get
women into leadership positions, doctoral programs, or currently male-dominated
industries or companies. Many scholarships for women are intended to encourage female
students to not just attend college, but to succeed afterwards. A number of scholarships
for women award students who demonstrate leadership abilities or entrepreneurial
spirit before attending college. Others reward women who have been out of school
for awhile and want to return to advance their careers. Similarly,
scholarship opportunities exist to encourage women already excelling as
undergraduate students to consider graduate work and eventual professorships or
other highly skilled positions. A large number of scholarships for women strive
to propel women into fields like math, science, and technology which still have
a very small percentage of female workers. For example, several scholarships exist
to entice women into careers in engineering
and business. Specific companies
such as IBM and Microsoft also offer scholarships for women to encourage recipients
to apply for jobs with them after graduation.
The Girls Going Places Entrepreneurship Scholarship Program is an annual initiative
designed by The Guardian Life Insurance Company to recognize the enterprising spirit
of girls ages 12 to 18. Guardian grants a total of $30,000 in scholarships, ranging
from $1,000 to $10,000, to 15 winners who demonstrate budding entrepreneurship and
are taking the first steps toward financial independence while making a difference
in their communities. Nominations are accepted from September to February each year.
More information
on the Guardian Girls Going Places Entrepreneurship Scholarship Program
Six women are awarded $10,000 scholarships and 60 women receive $1,000 scholarships
each year. The program is open to U.S. and Canadian residents. All applicants must
be seeking an undergraduate degree from an accredited two- or four-year college
or university or vocational-technical school. Only applicants seeking a bachelor’s
degree from a four-year college or university are eligible to receive a $10,000
award. Scholarship awards are based primarily on financial need and previous achievements
for women who earned their high school diploma or GED at least 10 years ago.
More information on the Talbots Women's Scholarship Fund
The annual competition honors college juniors who have excellent academic records,
leadership experience on and off campus and inspiring goals. Ten winners each receive
$3,000 cash, recognition in an issue of the magazine and a trip to New York City
for a gala awards luncheon and an opportunity to meet top female professionals.
More information on the Glamour Top 10 College Women Competition
The Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarships are awarded to women studying
business at the undergraduate level who have demonstrated outstanding potential
in the field. Zonta International offers six scholarships in the amount of $5,000
each. To apply, you must be a college junior or senior when funds are received and
have achieved an outstanding academic record during your first two years of school.
More information on the Zonta International Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship
Google hopes to encourage women to excel in computing and technology and become
active role models and leaders in the field. Google Anita Borg Scholarship recipients
will each receive a $10,000 award for the 2009-2010 academic year; Finalists will
each receive a $1,000 award. A group of female undergraduate and graduate students
will be chosen from the applicant pool, and scholarships will be awarded based on
the strength of each candidate’s academic background and demonstrated leadership.
All scholarship recipients and finalists will be invited to attend the Annual Google
Scholars’ Retreat in Mountain View, California.
More information
on the Google Anita Borg Scholarship
The Society of Women Engineers offers several scholarships for women pursuing degrees
in engineering. Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited engineering or computer
science degree program, must be a U.S. citizen, and must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
The SWE Anne Maureen Whitney Barrow Memorial Scholarship is open to freshmen and
returning students, is worth $5,000 and renewable for up to four years.
More information on the Society of Women Engineers Anne Maureen Whitney Barrow Memorial
Scholarship