Overview of Program

Mission

The FRS College Scholarship Program is intended to offer young people from rural areas a better chance to receive a higher education. Studies have shown that a large gap exists between college degrees received by rural youth compared to suburban and urban youth. In fact, only 62% of rural high school graduates attended at least one year of college, either part-time or full-time, compared to 73% of nonrural teenagers. Rural Americans are more likely than any other group to cite financial difficulties as one of their major impediments to attending college than any other group. It is the goal of the foundation to help alleviate that obstacle.

Another objective of the foundation's College Scholarship Program is to encourage college graduates to return to rural areas after graduation. More than two-thirds of rural Americans with postsecondary degrees never return to their rural communities. The scholarship selection committee will favor those indicating plans to return to their rural communities after graduation.

College Scholarship Program Enhanced

The Foundation for Rural Service and its board of directors decided in 2008 to increase the number of award recipients to 30 from 25 – bringing the total awards package to $75,000!

“FRS is committed to the future of our rural youth, and our rural communities,” said Bruce Bohnsack, past FRS president and president/manager of Germantown Telephone Co. (Germantown, N.Y.). “We are pleased to be able to substantially elevate our College Scholarship Program to not only reach more students, but also to provide a larger dollar award per student. We are very proud of this program and the opportunity that it offers both FRS and NTCA members to show their support of rural youth.”

The program is funded through FRS fund-raising events held in conjunction with NTCA’s annual meeting and fall conference. 

Scholarship Awards

In May 2009, FRS will award thirty, $2,500 scholarships to rural high school seniors, totaling $75,000.  Each winner will receive a $2,500 scholarship, $2,000 directly from FRS and an additional $500 from the student's sponsoring company.  The 30 students will be chosen from more than 1,200 applicants.

"Hopefully, these scholarships will offer young people from rural areas an incentive to begin college and graduate with a two- or four-year degree. This is not only an investment in the students, but in rural America," said Elizabeth Crocker, FRS executive director.

Ultimately, the foundation hopes that the recipients of these scholarships will return to their rural communities after graduation. Statistics show that more than two-thirds of rural Americans with post-secondary degrees never return to their rural communities.

Eligibility