The General Conference Women's Ministries Scholarship Program is established to give scholarships to women who are committed to serving the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church who would otherwise be unable to afford a Christian education. Scholarship awards are based on academic achievement, financial need, and community outreach. Specific amounts of scholarship awards vary from year to year and are dependent on the amount of funds available in your division. Scholarships may only be obtained through your home division.

Who is Eligible?

Any woman who is planning to attend a Seventh-day Adventist college in the Division in which she lives. Primary consideration will be given to those in the last two years of college-level study. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of need, ability and the recipient's determination to improve herself. She must be committed to serve the Lord in whatever way He directs and to the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

How May I Apply?

Women interested in applying for the scholarship should get an application form from the Women's Ministries Director in your division.

You will be asked to fill out the application, provide a photo, a transcript of your latest year in school and three recommendations written by your pastor, church leaders, and/or teachers.

Scholarships should be submitted first to your conference Women's Ministries (WM) director who will send it to the union (WM)director, then the division (WM) director and finally to the GC (WM) director. If you have no conference WM director send the application to your union WM director. If there is no conference or union WM director then send it directly to your division WM director.

Applicants will be screened by a committee at the Women's Ministries office for your Division and by the General Conference Women's Ministries Scholarship Committee.

Criteria

• Each recipient shall sign a "Commitment Statement," agreeing to uphold the standards of the Church and to use her education to further the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
• Students shall be required to study within their own division, unless some special arrangement is made in order to complete a specific field of study.
• The General Conference Department of Women's Ministries shall put safeguards in place to protect the program from nepotism and favoritism.
• Each institution receiving scholarship moneys must agree that these scholarships are over and above other scholarships that are available to women in that institution.

Selection Process

• Students shall be considered on the basis of personal commitment to the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, leadership skills, and academic achievement.
• The overall ethnic balance in determining scholarship recipients shall be considered.
• High school scholarships in developing countries shall be considered.
• The General Conference Department of Women's Ministries shall consult with Griggs University to work out programs for students in isolated areas.

Procedures

1. Scholarships shall be available to Adventist women in all the world divisions.
2. The program will be promoted through a brochure, the General Conference Women's Ministries newsletter, and other available channels.
3. Application forms shall be distributed to Adventist schools within the world divisions.
4. Applications shall be channeled through the division Women's Ministries directors who will be part of the screening process.
5. Each division office of Women's Ministries shall present the candidates for approval to the division committee. Before any moneys are transferred, the names recommended by the division committee shall be forwarded to the General Conference Department of Women's Ministries.
6. The division Women's Ministries director shall make the actual presentation of the scholarship and file regular reports to the General Conference Department of Women's Ministries.
7. The division Women's Ministries directors shall endeavor to facilitate a mentoring relationship between the scholarship recipients and those donors wishing to cultivate such a relationship.

Scholarshipping Our Sisters

Prior to 2004 all scholarships were funded by profits from the Women's Ministries' daily devotional books for women. The first devotional book was printed in 1993 and was titled "Among Friends." Since then 14 more books have been published.

In 2004 we became aware of our need to raise even more funds for this program as we were turning down almost 50% of all applicants. A program was developed to raise funds that would allow more women to receive help. This new program is called "Scholarshipping Our Sisters" (SOS) and is managed by the GC Women's Ministries department.

Funds are solicited from businesses, retirees, women's organizations, and other interested groups and individuals. Donations may be named or unnamed. Donors are free to specify if their donation is for a particular field of study or if it can be used generally. And donors can give a donation in memory of, in honor of, or just as a gift.

Each quarter we print a SOS newsletter updating you on what your donations are doing and giving you true stories of some of our recipients.

If you are interested in making a donation please contact us at

GC Women's Ministries
12501 Old Columbia Pike
Silver Spring, MD 20904
(301) 680-6672
(301) 680-6636

Thank you for strengthening our church by Scholarshipping our Sisters.

Update

From its inception in 1991 the Women's Ministries scholarship program has given a total of 1223 scholarships in over 105 countries amounting to $493,626.04.