INDIVIDUAL SCHOLARSHIPS
WHAT INDIVIDUAL SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE?
Creative Opportunities Unlimited is pleased to offer several financial scholarships that can be applied toward the cost of obtaining an education at any university, college, community college, or specialized school. The application process for each of the individual scholarships is the same (see directions below), and from the pool of applicants, a board of qualified reviewers will select as many participants as possible to receive financial rewards. Scholarship amounts often range from $250 up to $1,000 and are awarded based on a variety of criteria including commitment to and involvement in the Odyssey of the Mind program, intentions to continue as an Odyssey of the Mind participant/volunteer, and career or life plans directly related to one’s involvement in Odyssey of the Mind.
HOW DO I APPLY FOR AN INDIVIDUAL SCHOLARSHIP?
To be considered for an individual scholarship, please follow the instructions below:
(1) Complete this form.
(2) Obtain a letter of recommendation from an Odyssey of the Mind coach, high school administrator, teacher, or college professor. The letter should be no more than one page, double-spaced or hand-printed.
(3) Write a response to each of the following three questions. Your response may take any form, format, or style you wish, but your response should be limited to no more than 350 words per question:
Question 1: How has Odyssey of the Mind changed your life?
Question 2: How will you continue to use what you have learned in Odyssey of the Mind in your day-to-day life?
Question 3: How will you give back to Odyssey of the Mind so others may benefit from the program?
(4) Make two copies of all the materials.
(5) Send both copies of all completed material to:
Creative Opportunities Unlimited, Inc.
Attn: Dan Semenza
1204 La Paloma Place Lady Lake, FL 32159
(6) Submit all materials so that they are complete and received by March 15 of the current year. Only completed applications that are received by March 15 can be considered. NOTE: March 15 *is* the correct due date. The February date listed on the main Odyssey site has not yet been updated to reflect the March 15 due date.
NOTE: Please do not contact CCI with any questions regarding the scholarships. All scholarships are reviewed and rewarded by Creative Opportunities Unlimited, not CCI.
HOW WILL I KNOW IF I RECEIVED AN INDIVIDUAL SCHOLARSHIP?
The names of all scholarship recipients (and their respective amounts) will be posted on this page by April 30
WHOM SHOULD I CONTACT IF I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP?
For any and all quetsions pertaining to the COU individual scholarships please contact Joel Anderson and Harold Kurtz. Be sure to include “COU Scholarship question” in the subject box so that we can direct your question to the right expert. As a reminder, please do not contact CCI about the scholarship process.
HOUSING GRANTS
WHAT IS A COU HOUSING GRANT?
COU Housing Grants are designed to assist teams in experiencing the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals. A COU grant is intended to supplement efforts of teams to raise sufficient funds to attend World Finals. Funds are extremely limited, and only a small portion of applicants are awarded grants each year, but we do our best to ensure that teams who have qualified to compete at World Finals get to have the opportunity to do so. COU Housing Grants provide World Finals room and board packages purchased through Creative Competitions, Inc. Only teams electing to stay in official campus housing are eligible. Successful teams will be awarded a variable number of packages depending on need. These awards carry no cash equivalent. Teams wishing to apply for a COU Housing Grant must submit their application within two weeks of their respective qualifying tournament.
HOW DO I APPLY FOR A HOUSING GRANT?
NOTE: The deadline for the 2016 Housing Grants has passed. Please return next year around competition season to apply for a 2017 Housing Grant.
ASSOCIATION DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
WHAT IS AN ASSOCIATION DEVELOPMENT GRANT?
COU provides grants to Odyssey of the Mind associations for a variety of projects, including start up costs for new associations, special projects that will help the Odyssey of the Mind program as a whole, and specific, targeted efforts to grow the program in your area. For more information, Association Directors should contact us directly using the contact form at the bottom of this page.