You are invited to sponsor a scholarship. In return for an investment of $500, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you helped to make college possible for a young person who faced an unfair world. This is your chance to do something tangible and constructive for peace.

How does a scholarship promote peace?
"If you want peace, seek justice." It is unfair when students of limited means find that military service is their only career choice, whereas students from families of means always have more choices. The goal of the scholarships is to lower the bar to additional career choices. When a high school graduate has a choice of careers and chooses military service, that is a volunteer army. When a high school graduate's choices are limited for financial reasons to military service, that is a draft, and the most unfair kind of draft.

What do you mean by community?
"Think globally, act locally." Peace is more than the absence of war, and we cannot get peace just by opposing war. We must create onditions where everyone can see that war is inappropriate and preparation for war is unnecesary. Peace is the condition of a community when all elements support each other. We can create that condition locally by supporting those who need it. When the world becomes a community and all support each other, we will have the peace we seek.

What sort of students will get the scholarships?
The scholarships will go to high school graduates and community college students whose limited financial means might force them to enter military service or drop out of college. A sponsor can specify an area of interest or other restrictions. A student may combine multiple scholarships.

Who sponsors scholarships?
Inidividuals, families, organizations, in memory of ....Anyone who cares about peace.

If I sponsor a scholarship now, am I commited to renewing it?
You have no obligation to repeat the contribution. Certainly, we will give you the opportunity, and we believe you will find the experience rewarding and will want to renew. But each year is a separate opportunity, and we expect new donors to come along to replace those who cannot renew.

Is my contribution tax deductible?
If you sponsor a scholarship individually, your check will be written to the Edmonds Community College Foundation, which is a tax deductible organization. However, you might want to make the contribution through your favorite tax deductible peace-oriented organization (with the organization's concurrence, of course). You would still get the deduction, the organization would get the publicity, and bridges would be built and strengthened within the peace community.

What is the time frame for scholarships?
Students must submit their scholarship applications by late March. Scholarships are awarded in late May. To appear on the scholarship list that students see, your scholarship needs to be in by early March, but scholarships that come in later can still be awarded. The application and award process only happens once a year.

Why should I bother?

It's been said in lots of ways. If you don't vote, don't complain. (Bumper sticker)

It is not fair to ask of others what you are not willing to do yourself. (Eleanor Roosevelt)

Our lives begin to end the day that we become silent about things that matter. (Martin Luther King, Jr)

Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only. (Saint James)

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. (US Air Force)

Politics ought to be the part-time profession of every citizen who would protect the rights and privileges of free people and who would preserve what is good and fruitful in our national heritage. (Dwight D. Eisenhower)

In Germany, they first came for the communists and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the Jews and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the Catholics. I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak up. (Rev. Martin Niemöller)

If we don't work for big change now, we'll be working for small change later. (Jim Eachus)

More information about scholarships can be found at
http://foundation.edcc.edu

To sponsor a scholarship, print the donor form and mail it with your check to the address on the form.