AIE — Adventures In Education

Charley Wootan Grant Program

 

In 2000, TG established a program to provide assistance to students who have difficulties pursuing their higher education dreams because of financial need. In 2001, the TG Board of Directors voted to expand and rename the program to honor the memory of former Chairperson of the TG Board of Directors, Dr. Charley V. Wootan, in recognition of his generous contributions and service to the state of Texas and the nation.

Dr. Wootan served on TG's Board of Directors for the six years prior to his death in March 2001. His accomplishments, lifetime contributions, and his outstanding character have had a profound impact on education and the lives of many students and their families. As a fitting tribute to Dr. Wootan, TG is proud to extend his legacy to directly impact students nationwide.

In the past, the Charley Wootan Grant Program has been awarded in the form of block grants to public and private schools throughout Texas, with schools determining grant recipients. During 2008, the program will transition from an indirect grant program to awarding $2 million directly to individual students.

Scholarship Application

Applications for the 2008-09 academic year's Wootan Grant Program are no longer available. The postmark deadline for submission of the 2008-09 application was May 5, 2008. Applications for the next academic year will not become available until 2009.
Additional scholarship and grant opportunities may be found here.

Award Process

For the 2008-09 academic year, TG will award $2 million to students through the Charley Wootan Grant Program. The program offers grants ranging from $1,000 to $4,245 to qualified undergraduate students. Charley Wootan Grants are awarded for one year only; however, recipients will be encouraged to reapply in subsequent years provided eligibility requirements are met.

Eligibility

The Charley Wootan Grant Program is open to students who:

*Approved schools are defined as Title IV eligible accredited two- or four-year colleges or universities or vocational-technical schools in the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands or any of the U.S. territories and commonwealths.

Note: TG employees or dependents of TG employees are not eligible to apply for the Charley Wootan Grant Program.

TG represents that there is no correlation or connection between its selection of recipients for grant awards and an institution’s or individual’s business relationship or potential business relationship with TG. Participation in TG’s Charley Wootan Grant Program does not require or impose any quid pro quo condition. If any participant believes that a quid pro quo condition exists or may exist, it shall call TG’s ethics hotline at (877) 842-6675 or TG’s Chief Ethics Officer directly at (800) 252 9743, extension 4966 to report the condition.

Awards

The program will award grants within the range of $1,000 to $4,245. These awards are considered grants for one year only. However, students will be encouraged to reapply for subsequent years.

Grantees from Texas will receive roughly half of the $2 million, and the remaining $1 million will be awarded to grantees nationwide, with $100,000 allotted to each U.S. Department of Education service region, provided there are qualified applicants from each region.

Application

To be considered, an application packet must be complete and postmarked by May 5, 2008. Application packets are required to include:

Please note that the SAR or ISIR must be for the 2008-2009 academic year and include the family’s adjusted gross income and the expected family contribution (EFC). Other documents that are missing any of these items are not acceptable.

If the application is incomplete, students will not be considered. The application packet must be complete and include all documentation in one envelope to be considered.

Only the first 5,000 submitted applications will be considered. Applications received in excess of 5,000 will not be opened and processed.

Applicant Responsibilities

Applicants are responsible for submitting all necessary information. Because Scholarship America evaluates applications on the information supplied, it is important to answer all questions as completely as possible. Scholarship America and TG keep all submitted information confidential.

Selection of Recipients

Awards will be based on the applicant's:

Notification of Awards

On July 1, notification will be mailed to all grantees that have been selected as provisional recipients. Only the provisional recipients will be required to mail an acceptance of the grant and verification of enrollment eligibility to Scholarship America.

Payment of Grants

Scholarship America will issue first-half award checks on August 15 and second-half award checks on December 30. Checks will be payable to the institution for the student and mailed to the institution’s bursar’s office.

Obligations

Charley Wootan Grant Program funds must be used for tuition, room and board, and/or other education-related expenses.

All applicants for the Charley Wootan Grant Program must acknowledge that they must provide permission for TG to use their name and testimonial for publicity purposes, and that they may be required to provide a photo. Grant recipients must authorize release of academic records to Scholarship America and TG. Provisional recipients must supply Scholarship America with additional documentation as requested, and notify Scholarship America of any change of address, school enrollment, or other relevant information.

Revisions

TG reserves the right to review the conditions and procedures of this grant program and to make changes, including termination of the program, at any time.

Additional Information

TG's Charley Wootan Grant Program is managed by Scholarship Management Services, a program of Scholarship America, the nation's largest nonprofit, private-sector scholarship and educational-support organization.

For additional information about TG's Charley Wootan Grant Program, first read our frequently asked questions. If you still have questions, send us an e-mail or call Scholarship America, toll-free, (800) 537-4180. Please ask for the TG Charley Wootan Grant Program manager whenever you call or write.

Frequently Asked Questions

How will I know if I've been selected as a finalist or as a recipient of the grant?

By July 1, provisional recipients only will be mailed a notification letter. When filling out your application, be sure to provide your correct address. If you do not receive notification shortly after that date, you have not been selected as a recipient.

Can I submit a copy of my online transcript?

Yes. You may submit a copy of your online transcript if you are unable to obtain an official transcript. The online transcript must be a direct printout (do not copy and paste into another document) and each page of the transcript must show your name, school name, grade and credit hours earned for each course, and term in which each course was taken.

I am home-schooled but planning to attend college this fall. Am I eligible?

Yes. Students who are home-schooled and who have graduated or plan to graduate in Spring 2008 are eligible to apply for the Wootan Grant, as long as they can provide an acceptance letter to a Title IV institution and a copy of their Student Aid Report (SAR or Institutional Student Information Report (ISIR).

I don't live in Texas. Am I still eligible to apply?

Yes. U.S. citizens and permanent U.S. residents of any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands or any U.S. territory or commonwealth may apply for and, if eligible, be considered for a Charley Wootan Grant.

If I am applying for permanent residency, am I eligible for the grant?

No. You are eligible for the grant only if you are a U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident at the time of application.

Will all applicants be considered for the Wootan Grant?

Only the first 5,000 applications received by Scholarship America will be given consideration for a Wootan Grant. You should complete the application and mail all required documentation in one envelope as soon as possible.

Are there merit requirements?

You must be a student in good standing at your chosen institution, but there are no other merit requirements for receipt of a Wootan Grant.

Is this grant similar to a federal Pell Grant?

The Wootan Grant is not a federal Pell Grant. The Pell Grant is a federally funded financial aid program. The Charley Wootan Grant Program is a program sponsored by TG, a nonprofit corporation, as part of its educational mission. However, there are similarities. Both the federal Pell Grant and the Wootan Grant are need-based aid and they both rely on the information obtained after completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (“FAFSA”). The maximum Wootan Grant for the 2008-09 academic year is $4,245. No more than $2 million of Charley Wootan Grant funds will be awarded for 2008-09.

Are your grants renewable for additional years of study?

Unfortunately, TG cannot guarantee that Charley Wootan Grants awarded for the 2008-2009 academic year will be renewable for subsequent years of study. At present, we can only guarantee that these grants will be for one year only. Recipients must reapply for subsequent years provided eligibility requirements are met.

For more information, contact Scholarship America at (800) 537-4180, or send an e-mail to Wootan@ScholarshipAmerica.org.

Back to Top
AIEmail

What do you think?

Should college students carry a credit card?
Yes
No