P&CMA Educational Foundation Scholarship

The application process for the Petroleum & Convenience Marketers of Alabama (P&CMA) Educational Foundation Scholarships for the 2009-20010 academic year will being in January, 2009. At least fifteen one-year scholarships of $2,000 each will be awarded to the children (including adopted and stepchildren) of full-time employees who are employed by P&CMA member companies and who reside in Alabama. Children of member company principals are not eligible.

The P&CMA Educational Foundation Scholarship Program is unique in that the scholarships are awarded to students whose academic records are not outstanding because we recognize that those students have the opportunity to receive many scholarships from other sources. Our program is for average and above-average students who are involved in their school and community. An independent selection committee of educators, who have no connection with P&CMA, selects the winners. The awards may be used at any accredited, nonprofit college or university or technical institute in the United States.

Scholaship Information

Philosophy

The Petroleum&Convenience Marketers of Alabama (P&CMA) Educational Foundation has established the P&CMA Educational Foundation Scholarship Program to achieve a number of highly desirable objectives. The program assists the sons and daughters of full-time employees of P&CMA member companies by providing scholarships to help the parents of the recipients with college expenses. But, more importantly, the program takes an innovative approach to awarding scholarships. This approach recognizes that students who have outstanding academic records usually receive a large number of scholarships based on academic merit, but there are many deserving students with average and above-average records who do not necessarily receive awards based on academic merit. Accordingly, the foundation makes awards to these students whose academic credentials fall into the average and above-average category.

Eligibility
Those eligible to apply for P&CMA Educational Foundation Scholarships are high school seniors, and college freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who are either full-time employees (32 hours or more), or are the sons and daughters (including adopted and stepchildren) of full-time employees who are employed by member companies. The parent-employee must be a resident of Alabama and must have been employed by a P&CMA member company for at least one year as of January 1 of the year in which the scholarship is awarded. In addition, the parent-employee or the applicant must still be employed by the member company at the time the winners are selected in April. Children of owners of P&CMA member companies are not eligible to apply for the scholarships.

Scholarship Awards
The P&CMA Educational foundation is awarding at least 15 one-year scholarships in the amount of $2,000. The scholarships may be applied to educational expenses at any accredited, nonprofit college, university, or technical institute in the United States. A recipient may transfer from one institution to another and retain the award. Recipients of these awards may reapply for an award if they or their parents continue to be employed by a member company and continues to be a resident of Alabama. There is a new competition for these awards each year. Winning an award one year does not necessarily mean that a recipient will win the following year.

Application Procedure
Prior to February 1 of each year, the P&CMA Educational Foundation will announce that the application process for the scholarship has begun. Applications are distributed to those who request them on the form provided. Additional information about the scholarship program and the application process are contained in the application. To request an application via email, please submit the information below directly to info@spaprog.com. Be sure to include"PCMA"in the subject line of the email. You may also choose to apply for this scholarship online. To do so, go the www.scholarshipadministrators.net. You will be asked for an access key. Type in"PCMA."You will then be prompted with appropriate instructions on how to continue with your online application and the steps necessary to ensure completion of your scholarship application.

Selection of Scholarship Winners
An impartial selection committee, made up of educators, will select the winners. In selecting the winners, the committee considers the applicants' high school records, standardized test results, college grades (if any), and extracurricular activities. Winners are selected largely on the basis of the philosophy described earlier. All applicants will be notified of the results of the competition on or about May 15.

Responsibilities of Recipients
Scholarship recipients whose parents are employed by P&CMA member companies must enroll as full-time college students in the fall of the year in which the scholarships are awarded. Scholarship recipients who are full-time employees of a P&CMA member company will have the award prorated based on the number of credit hours they take in college. Scholarship recipients must continue in school for the entire academic year without interruption, barring illness, emergency, or military service. Scholarship recipients are responsible for making certain that their scholarship checks are delivered to their colleges.

Payment of Scholarship Funds
On or about August 1, scholarship recipients are sent checks for the fall academic term. Checks are made payable to the colleges. For colleges on the semester system, the checks are for one half of the award. For colleges on the quarter system, the checks are for one third of the award. The second and third checks for colleges on the quarter system are sent on or about November 1 and February 1. For those on the semester system, the second checks are sent on or about December 1.

Program Administration
To assure a high level of professionalism in dealing with students, parents, high schools and colleges, the P&CMA Educational Foundation Scholarship Program is administered by Scholarship Program Administrators, Inc., a firm that specializes in the administration of sponsored scholarship programs.

The P&CMA Educational Foundation Scholarship Program is administered by:

Scholarship Program Administrators, Inc.
P.O. Box 23737
Nashville TN 37202-3737
615.320.3149
Fax 615.320.3151
Email: info@scholarshipadministrators.com

All questions about policies, procedures and payments should be directed to the address above.

The funds supporting the P&CMA Educational Foundation Scholarship Program are provided through the generosity of supporters of the:

Petroleum&Convenience Marketers of Alabama
P. O. Box 231659
Montgomery, AL 36123-1659
334/272-3800
Fax: 334/272-3837