In the great hunt for scholarship dollars, Stella discovered an opportunity that appeared doable: a $500 award from a state fraternal organization with local chapters.
To apply, she needed to submit:
- One completed application form. Check.
- One 500-word essay titled, “Why This Scholarship is Important to Me.” Check.
- One letter of recommendation from an instructor. Check.
- One recent photograph of herself. Check.
- One letter of recommendation from a local chapter. NO CHECK. NO, NO, NO CHECK!
Stella didn’t know anyone who belonged to this group.
Enter Stella, Queen of Persistence
Then again, Stella could find out the contact person for the local chapter, introduce herself and see if the conversation might lead to something promising. The state office listed on the scholarship materials supplied the local contact, and Stella made the call.
Stella followed up the phone conversation by sending: a letter of introduction that included her purpose for writing (to seek their recommendation), a brief description of her educational and professional goals, a summary of her community service and volunteer activities, a summary of her extracurricular activities, and letters of recommendation.
The group obliged, and Stella received the $500 scholarship . . . and another one the following year . . . and a third one the year after that.
The next time you face the unknown, remember Stella, queen of persistence, and the motto she adopted for pursuing scholarships: “Just ask.”
Morris Sampler 