Endowed Scholarship

Martin Luther King, Jr.

The application process is open for the 2008-09 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Endowed Scholarship. Plans to establish the endowed scholarship in honor of Dr. King’s legacy were begun by MSU students in 2003. Due to the overwhelming support received by friends of MSU the endowment goal was successfully reached in 2005.

Consistent with Dr. King’s legacy, the most qualifying criteria for the Scholarship that students must demonstrate are social activism, community involvement and service. Such involvement builds strong lines of communication between the campus and communities and is essential to the development of effective, lasting relationships that advance social change within a community.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholars will be selected on the basis of demonstrated leadership; commitment to and involvement with social change in communities; financial need; academic achievement; one full year of full-time study at MSU; and current full-time status.

The deadline for submitting applications has been extended to Friday, February 29, 2008, 5PM. Mail completed applications before the deadline to:

Linda Sigh
252 Student Services
East Lansing, MI 48824-1113

517-353-5940
Office: Financial Aid
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-1113

To apply, students must:

  • Complete an application
  • Provide a three-page typed personal statement in which they—
    • describe their student leadership and extra-curricular activities that are consistent with Dr. King’s legacy and provide examples
    • define or describe the features or characteristics of the “community” in which they volunteered their services
    • describe their involvement with social change in their communities
    • explain their financial need for the scholarship
    • explain what their career goals and aspirations are and how they relate to the legacy of Dr. King
    • describe any plans to continue contributing to communities if they become recipients of the MLK, Jr. Scholarship.

Recipients will normally be selected during spring semester with awards effective the following fall semester. The number and amount of awards made in a given year will be based upon available expendable amounts in that year but they will not be less than $500 per award. Undergraduate and graduate/professional students, who meet the above criteria, are eligible to apply.

Questions can be directed to the Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives, 517-353-3922.