Gilroy Rotary offering $27k in scholarships

Attention, high school seniors: College money is out there. Reach out and grab it!

The Gilroy Rotary Club Scholarships and Awards Program will be offering $27,000 in college scholarships to qualified high school seniors graduating in 2012 and entering their first year of college in the fall of 2012. Gavilan College graduates who are transferring to a four-year college in the fall of 2012 are also welcome to apply. 

The scholarships will be as follows:

Goldsmith/Gilroy Rotary Floriculture Scholarship(s): Up to $15,000 total; specifically designed for students planning a career in Floriculture, Horticulture, Plant Science, Biology, or a related field. These awards are also available to Gavilan College students in these fields transferring to a four-year college.

General scholarships: Up to $7,000 total, ranging from $500 to $2,500 for academic achievement and service. Gilroy Rotary reserves the right to change the number and/or amount of scholarships awarded.

Susan J. Seledon Scholarship/Gilroy Rotary: Up to $5,000 for two years. Specifically designed to assist individuals who have completed their first two years of education, attaining a degree or certificate and demonstrating their potential for success. Special attention will be given to those returning to school after an interruption in their education.

To qualify for Goldsmith Scholarship and/or General Scholarships: Applicants must live in Gilroy or be attending a Gilroy Unified School District school, have an excellent record of service in the community and/or extracurricular activities, and graduate high school or Gavilan College in June of 2012 with a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the last two years.

To qualify for the Susan J. Seledon Scholarship: Applicants must be a South Santa Clara County or North San Benito County resident with attendance at a South Santa Clara County Community College, or Hartnell Community College.

Application packets can be obtained by calling the Gilroy Rotary Scholarship Chair Tim Day at (408) 842-1270; by picking up a packet at the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce office located at 7471 Monterey St., Gilroy; or by downloading the packet at the Gilroy Rotary website. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m., Friday, May 4.