The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges is pleased to announce the opportunity for students to be nominated for the Jonnah Laroche Memorial Scholarship. Two continuing community college students will each receive a $500 award, and one student transferring to a four-year institution will be awarded $1,000. This year the awards will go to students from Senate Areas A and B.

Each college may nominate one transferring student and one continuing student. The local senate is encouraged to collaborate with the local student body organization in selecting the college's nominees. Please contact faculty mentors, counseling faculty, EOPS program personnel, scholarship committees, student organizations, disabled student program staff and others as appropriate to your campus, to ensure that we receive as diverse a group of nominees as possible. In addition, please post copies of the enclosed scholarship announcement around your campus.

The nominating criteria emphasize the wishes of the founder of this scholarship to select students from groups that have been historically under-represented in higher education: ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities. Please consider these criteria when evaluating potential applicants. Other criteria include a minimum GPA of 3.0 and a 300-word autobiographical essay that includes their educational and career goals as well as a demonstration of financial need. Continuing students must have completed a minimum of 15 units. Transferring students will receive the award upon proof of entry at the receiving institution.

Completed applications must be received in the Academic Senate Office by 5 p.m. on February 27, 2009. Send applications to: Laroche Scholarship, the Academic Senate for California Colleges, 428 J Street, Suite 430, Sacramento, CA 95814. Please send one (1) original and (1) copy. Faxed materials will not be accepted.

The winners will be honored at the Spring Plenary Session of the Academic Senate on Saturday, April 18, 2009, at the Westin in San Francisco.