CATCHING THE DREAM (CTD) SCHOLARSHIP


Catching the Dream, Inc.,
Attn: Scholarship Affairs Office
8200 Mountain Road NE., Suite 203,
Albuquerque, NM 87110
Phone: (505)262-2351 ext. 116

Email:NScholarsh@aol.com Subject line: Scholarship Application Request

 

 

*      The MESBEC program is the oldest of CTD programs. The six priority fields of study are math, engineering, science, business, education, and computers. Science includes all the medical fields. These fields are the ones in which tribes need graduates the most, and the fields in which there are the fewest Indian graduates.

 

*      Scholarship Requirements:

 

*      Students must be 1/4 or more degree American Indian, and be an enrolled member of a U. S. tribe. "U. S. tribe" is defined as federally recognized, state recognized, or terminated.

 

*      Students must be attending or planning on attending a college or university within the U. S. on a full-time basis that is fully accredited. Study must be at the college level, and can range from bachelor's degrees to postdoctoral study. Applicants must have excellent grades, high ACT or SAT scores, some work experience, a track record of leadership, and a strong commitment to their Indian community.

 

*      Students applying to any of these three programs are required to apply for all other sources of funds, write a comprehensive essay about themselves and their plans, and provide proof of high school completion, college admission, and tribal enrollment. "All other sources" includes federal financial aid, tribal scholarships, private scholarships, loans, and grants. The search for scholarships must be exhaustive, using the Internet, printed scholarship directories, and identification of scholarships in the student's local community.

 

*      Students should have clear goals about what they want to accomplish in life, and should have begun preparing for this work. Their goals must be related to the betterment of an Indian tribe or community. Progress toward accomplishing a goal may be demonstrated by study, work, volunteerism, extracurricular activities, leadership roles, and letters of recommendation.

 

*      Our scholarship program operates nationwide. Scholarships range from $500 to $5,000 per academic year. Scholarships are awarded on merit and on the basis of the students we feel will most likely improve the lives of Indian people. CTD provides supplementary scholarship funding for those who have received college funding from other sources. Competition is very intense, with only 55% of applicants receiving scholarships.

 

*      The Board of Directors reads and ranks the applications from students. All applications and supporting materials are confidential and cannot be released to any other entity without the written consent of the applicant.

 

*      All applicants use the same application form. Please email, phone, or write your request for an application. Application must be postmarked by deadline date. If the 15th falls on a Sunday the deadline moves to the next day, Monday 16th.

Deadlines for Applications:

March 15th...........Summer School
April 15th.............Fall Semester or Quarter
September 15th....Spring Semester or Quarter