Gordon A. Rich Memorial Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by Gordon A. Rich Memorial Scholarship

Introduction
Gordon A. Rich devoted much of his life to assisting individuals with limited means and opportunities, contributing time, energy, and resources to improve their circumstances. The Gordon A. Rich Memorial Foundation (GAR) was established to continue his philanthropic legacy.

Eligibility and Applicant Requirements
- Applicants must be the dependent children of full‑time employees working in the financial services sector. Qualifying employers include commercial banks, investment banks, securities brokerages, insurance firms, fund and asset managers, credit card and finance companies, and similar financial businesses as determined by the Foundation. The sponsoring employee must currently be employed and have at least five years of experience in the financial industry.
- Applicants must be graduating high school seniors who plan to matriculate as full‑time first‑year students in a four‑year bachelor’s degree program at an accredited college or university in the United States.
- A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) is required, and applicants must rank within the top 20% of their graduating class.
- Applicants must demonstrate financial need.
- Applicants must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.

Application Review and Selection Process
Candidates are evaluated on a combination of academic performance, leadership and extracurricular involvement, responses provided on the application, and demonstrated financial need. The Foundation seeks students who combine strong scholastic achievement with leadership, creativity, and a compelling record of engagement.

Selection Criteria (Factors Considered)
- Academic record and GPA
- High school activities and leadership roles
- Answers to application questions
- Evidence of financial need

Academic Excellence
GAR Scholars are expected to have strong academic records—generally within the top 20% of their class. Beyond grades, the Foundation looks for students who have shown intellectual curiosity, excellence, or creativity in particular areas of study (for example, research accomplishments) and who have pursued challenging coursework that reflects a passion for learning.

Extracurricular and Community Involvement
The Foundation values an “extra dimension” demonstrated through extracurricular pursuits. This can take the form of broad-based involvement across multiple activities or concentrated, high‑level achievement in a single area. Examples of meaningful extracurricular engagement include athletics, community service, journalism or media, and the visual or performing arts.

Financial Need
The GAR scholarship program is intended to reduce the educational debt burden for talented students with financial need. Need is assessed using the financial information supplied by each applicant on the application forms.

Renewal and Continuing Eligibility
Scholarship awards are reviewed annually to determine whether a recipient qualifies for renewal. To remain eligible, recipients must:
- Maintain full‑time enrollment and be in good academic standing at their college or university;
- Avoid any form of academic probation or suspension; and
- Demonstrate satisfactory conduct within both the campus and the broader community.

Administrative timeline for continuing awards:
- Each December, recipients receive a renewal form.
- Each April, recipients are asked to confirm full‑time enrollment and intent to continue that status, to submit an updated official transcript, and to provide a detailed summary of courses, projects, and activities in which they participated during the current award year.

The GAR Scholar Profile
There is no single “typical” GAR Scholar. Recipients will share key attributes—outstanding ability, energy, passion, and financial need—while representing a wide range of interests, accomplishments, backgrounds, religions, and ethnicities.