ST. CROIX — Graduating St. Croix Educational Complex seniors heading to college next year could be eligible for a leg up on their tuition courtesy of the Complex 1998 Alumni Association. The group is looking to award an inaugural scholarship of at least $500 to an outstanding Complex student from a low-income household.
Association Treasurer Shawn Augustin said the organization intends to present the scholarship annually going forward.
“When we graduated, we always said — as a group — we wanted to give back,” Augustin said, noting the difficulty St. Croix students had finding scholarships to pursue their education outside of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Augustin said many of the territory’s gifted students might not see a path toward continuing their education elsewhere and can end up feeling “stuck.”
“I think that’s where we lose a lot of our students,” he said.
To qualify, students must be a graduating senior at St. Croix Educational Complex who plans to enroll in a four-year degree program at a college or university on a full-time basis in Fall 2024 and be a United States Citizen, national or permanent resident.
The ideal candidate is active in their community, in good academic standing with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. Applications that demonstrate community service, volunteering or work experience, participation in extracurricular activities or a description of socioeconomic circumstances that prevented such participation will be given priority.
The application includes a 500-word essay detailing how the scholarship will assist the candidate in achieving their goals, an official high school transcript transmitted from the school registrar to SCEC98alumni@gmail.com, a reference letter from a school faculty member or community leader, and evidence of financial need — such as an Expected Family Contribution from FAFSA or letter from a parent or guardian.
