La Jolla Rotary - Scholarships

of La Jolla High Schools

La Jolla Rotary Foundation administers two scholarship programs under which approximately $150,000 is distributed each year to graduates of La Jolla High School, The Bishop's School, La Jolla Country Day School and The Pruess School.

La Jolla Rotary Scholarships

Florence Riford Scholarships

Both of these scholarship programs provide financial assistance during the first year of college, and are intended to reward achievement and enable graduating seniors of these four La Jolla area high schools to further their education. However, the criteria for considering the scholarship applicants differ somewhat and are described in sections A. & B. below.

La Jolla Rotary Foundation is a charitable "501(c)3" corporation, contributions to which are fully tax-deductible.

A. La Jolla Rotary Scholarships

1. Applicant must attend a four year college or university in the United States as a full-time student with enrollment commencing in the fall after graduating high school.

2. Applicant must be a citizen of the United States.

3. Applicant must have an un-weighted cumulative GPA of at least 3.3.

4. Applicant cannot be a child, grandchild, niece or nephew of a member of La Jolla Rotary.

5. Applicant must submit a completed application (refer to section C) before the specified deadline (refer to section E).

6. Awards criteria include academic achievement, financial need, extracurricular activities, community service, notable experiences or skills, and interview impression.

Funds to support La Jolla Rotary Scholarships are derived from donations, grants, bequests and fundraising activities of the La Jolla Rotary Club. Scholarships awarded to graduating seniors tend to be in the range of $3,000 to $5,000.

B. Florence Riford Scholarships

1. Applicant must attend a four year college or university in California as a full-time student pursuing studies leading to a career in science, mathematics, engineering or medicine, with enrollment commencing in the fall after graduating high school.

2. Preference will first be given to applicants enrolling at UCSD, and then to those enrolling in other California four-year colleges or universities.

3. Applicant must be a citizen of the United States.

4. Applicant must have an un-weighted cumulative GPA of at least 3.3.

5. Applicant cannot be a child, grandchild, niece or nephew of a member of La Jolla Rotary.

6. Applicant must submit a completed application (refer to section C) before the specified deadline (refer to section E).

7. Awards criteria include academic achievement, extracurricular activities, community service, notable experiences or skills, and interview impression. Financial need is not a criterion in the awarding of this scholarship.

The Florence Riford Scholarship program was endowed by the late Mrs. Florence Riford, who was the first woman member of the La Jolla Rotary Club. Scholarships awarded to graduating seniors tend to be in the range of $3,000 to $5,000.

C. How to Apply for Scholarships

Scholarships are available to graduating seniors of La Jolla High School, The Bishop's School, La Jolla Country Day School and The Preuss School. Students may apply for both scholarships but can receive only one.

La Jolla Rotary Scholarship Application

Florence Riford Scholarship Application

Florence Riford Letter of Recommendation

D. How to Reapply for Scholarships

Additional scholarship assistance may be available to college students who previously received either La Jolla Rotary or Florence Riford Scholarships

Reapplication Requirements for La La Jolla Rotary and Florence Riford Scholarships

E. Important Dates and Mandatory Deadlines

Scholarship applications from graduating high seniors must be received at La Jolla Rotary's post office box no later than March 23, 2012.

Scholarship reapplications from college students must be received at La Jolla Rotary’s post office box (or, with respect to a reapplication letter submitted by email, at La Jolla Rotary's email address for scholarship matters) no later than April 15, 2012.

Scholarship interviews for graduating high school seniors will be held Saturday, April 14, 2012 (tentative date, subject to change), at a location to be announced.

La Jolla Rotary’s Scholarship Awards Lunch honoring scholarship recipients will be held Tuesday, May 22, 2012 (tentative date), at La Valencia Hotel, La Jolla.

F. How to Receive Disbursement of Scholarship Funds

Requirements for Disbursement of Scholarship Funds

G. How to Contact La Jolla Rotary Regarding Scholarships

The mailing address for all scholarship matters (particularly including scholarship applications and reapplications) is:

Chair, Scholarship Committee
Rotary Club of La Jolla
P.O. Box 525
La Jolla, CA 92038

La Jolla Rotary’s email address for scholarship matters is:

scholarships@rotarycluboflajolla.com

II. Other La Jolla Rotary Scholarship Programs

A. TIJUANA ROTARY YOUTH SCHOLARSHIPS are a collaborative endeavor of Rotary Club of La Jolla and Club Rotario de Tijuana. The scholarships are awarded to 6th grade students in poor districts in Tijuana who have demonstrated superior academic and leadership performance and who wish to continue their schooling through the 12th grade. To enhance their educational experience, the students have been organized into an Association of Rotary Youth Scholars, which meets weekly in a Scholars' Lab in Tijuana. Emphasis is on instruction in computer usage and in facility in the English language. For further information, please refer to http://www.tjscholars.com/.

B. STRIVE SCHOLARSHIPS are awarded to promising students graduating from the Garfield High School in San Diego. The goal of the La Jolla Rotary Foundation's STRIVE scholarship program is to assist graduates to further their education and to reward their achievements.