RESILIENCE Scholarship

Funded by
$500
1 winner$500
Awarded
Application Deadline
Mar 17, 2022
Winners Announced
Apr 4, 2023
Education Level
High School, Undergraduate
Recent Bold.org scholarship winners
Eligibility Requirements
Education Level:
High school senior or undergraduate student
GPA:
2.5 or higher
Background:
Has lost a parent or guardian
Education Level:
GPA:
Background:
High school senior or undergraduate student
2.5 or higher
Has lost a parent or guardian

Students who have lost a parent during high school or college have faced incredible hardship during some of the most transformative years of their lives. Transitioning from high school to college and graduating from college are already large feats in themselves and having to overcome a loss of this magnitude during this time makes a huge impact on your life.

This scholarship is meant for a high school senior or current undergraduate who has lost a parent or legal guardian during their time in high school/college and desires support as they continue to pursue their education.

Any high school senior or undergraduate that has lost a parent during their time in high school or college and has a GPA of 2.5 or above, may apply for this scholarship.

To apply, please share one of your favorite memories with the parent/guardian that you lost and tell us how they influenced your life the most.

Selection Criteria:
Ambition, Need, Boldest Bold.org Profile
Published April 5, 2022
$500
1 winner$500
Awarded
Application Deadline
Mar 17, 2022
Winners Announced
Apr 4, 2023
Education Level
High School, Undergraduate
Recent Bold.org scholarship winners
Essay Topic

Please share one of your favorite memories with the parent/guardian that you lost. How have they influenced your life the most?

400–600 words

Winners and Finalists

Winning Application

Alicia Rodriguez
J M Hanks H SEl Paso, TX
It's perceived that grief is a seven step process, but if you have personally experienced such pain, could you honestly say it is that simple? The pain, the sorrow, the confusion, and the guilt, in some cases, can be monumental, and take on various forms. During the second half of my freshman year, in February 2019, I got a call from my dad to come home from my track meet early, which caught me entirely by surprise, as we previously agreed I would stay the entire meet. Despite that, it seemed serious, so I got a ride home within 15 minutes. When I arrived, the emotional pressure of the room my family was in was debilitating, palatable even. I was told to sit with my sister beside me, both of us unaware and unprepared for what news we were to receive. And as my dad spoke, I will never forget the way his voice wavered saying “Mami is gone.” I didn't understand at first because he could have been talking about his mom, or mine, which I didn't live with. But during my moment of shock and confusion, my sister broke down, understandably, and it was then when it hit me. My mom was gone. I was so lost and confused, over and over again repeating, “Why? I just texted her hours ago, why?ˮ I had always been aware she had been struggling with mental health issues, but this came out of nowhere for me, even more so knowing she took her own life. I remember, for months after, being so scared and lost without my mother figure, and being hesitant of being vulnerable, as I had to “be strong” for my sister, being the oldest. My family had to walk on eggshells around us, as they weren't sure how we would take it for so long, and truthfully neither did we. Prior to said event, my sister and I were already in therapy for our unfortunately traumatic childhood, so continuing that healing after my mom's passing, it was more restorative than I could have realized. It sounds cliche, but the struggle was real; it still is. Opening up to the only other person who could truly understand where I was during this mental exhaustion, my sister and I became each other's support systems. We did strive to open up to my dad and my mom's family, which of course helped, but there was no other match to how well my sister and I helped each other in this life-changing situation. And almost as a distraction, I immersed myself in my school work and after-school activities, which surprisingly landed me at the top of my class for both my freshman, sophomore and junior year. Continuing to push myself through my academics and surrounding myself with people who care about my well-being carried me through the horrendously painful grief I experienced. Visiting these rather tender memories, I cannot express enough how much it has changed me as a person. Throughout the ever evolving process, I find myself experiencing varying emotions, from normal to thoroughly exhausting. And picking up on how I can feel day to day was an engaging learning experience, yet I do it not only for myself, but for others as well. Being aware of what I can do to help a person, with my hyperawareness to emotion, makes me feel like a better friend, sister, daughter and fellow student. And evolving my ability to work under pressure, in almost any situation, is something I never expected, but will be grateful for in the present and near future.

FAQ

When is the scholarship application deadline?

The application deadline is Mar 17, 2022. Winners will be announced on Apr 4, 2023.

This scholarship has been awarded, but we have hundreds more!
Find a perfect scholarship now