STUDENTS: Both VJC @ Ravenscroft ensembles will have student absences from their Highland/ASU Jazz Festival performances. So if you can join us just for the month of March, we'd love to know about that. (Openings on tenor sax and bass [in the Tuesday band] and alto sax and trombone [in the Thursday band].) Please reach out to VJC Director Russell Schmidt and apply if you have interest.
EDUCATORS: Check out our new Flexible Instrumentation Big Band charts, released by VJC Publications. We recently added four more big band selections, two of them "flex" charts, the other two for full jazz ensemble. And most of these publications are available to listen to HERE on the VJC YouTube channel.
VJC SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
The Valley Jazz Cooperative Scholarship Program
for High School Seniors
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The Valley Jazz Cooperative Scholarship Program is designed to recognize outstanding high school seniors, in support of their post-secondary education. Scholarships are awarded annually to three current or former VJC ensemble participants. Scholarship recipients are talented young musicians, with emphasis given to individuals who have made meaningful contributions to their communities through service to others. As a long-term goal, the VJCSP encourages its scholarship recipients to continue making positive impacts on society through community engagement and service, as well as support for/participation in the arts.
The Valley Jazz Cooperative Scholarship Program is generously supported by MSW Ministries. (Visit MSW Ministries to learn more about the VJC’s parent organization.)
SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION
Each scholarship recipient will be presented with an award of $500.00, annually renewable over a four-year period, for a maximum possible total award of $2,000.00. The funds will be made available by September 1st, each year and paid directly to the Office of the Bursar (or equivalent) at the accredited 2- or 4-year educational institution in which the scholarship recipient is enrolled as a full-time student.
MINIMUM REQUIRED CRITERIA FOR APPLICANTS
The applicant must be a high school senior, intending to begin a post-secondary education as a full-time student at a 2- or 4-year college or university in the academic year immediately following high school graduation.
The applicant must have a cumulative high school GPA of 3.0 or higher through mid-term grades of senior year (or equivalent GPA for schools not using a four-point grading system).
The applicant must have previously participated in the Valley Jazz Cooperative as a positive, contributing member of a VJC ensemble.
ADDITIONAL PREFERRED CRITERIA FOR APPLICANTS
The applicant has shown selfless, servant leadership in outreach activities, demonstrating a commitment to others through participation in events sponsored by one’s church, school, or community (or initiated independently in whole or in part by the applicant).
The applicant intends to major or minor in an undergraduate program at an accredited 2- or 4-year college or university in music, other performing or visual arts, education, social work/human services, theology, or any other area of study that credibly leads toward making positive contributions to one’s community (post-graduation) through direct service to others or alternative/indirect means.
The applicant is currently participating in the Valley Jazz Cooperative as a positive, contributing member of a VJC ensemble.
APPLICATION PROCESS/REQUIREMENTS
The applicant must submit a completed Valley Jazz Cooperative Scholarship Program application form, as well as a copy of the applicant’s high school transcript, current through senior year mid-term grades, providing one’s cumulative high school GPA.
The applicant may also choose to include a supporting (confidential) letter of recommendation from a pastor/worship leader, teacher, project supervisor, or mentor, addressing the applicant’s candidacy for this scholarship and (if applicable) providing details of the applicant’s involvement in one or more service/outreach activities.
Completed applications must be received each year by MSW Ministries by April 1st. If April 1st falls on a weekend, then completed applications must be received by the first business day after April 1st. Please note that no application materials will be returned.
To download the Valley Jazz Cooperative Scholarship Program application materials, please click on the button below (for the .pdf packet). This packet provides additional information on various topics, including the process by which scholarships are awarded and the requirements recipients must meet to maintain eligibility for (annual) scholarship renewal. The download also includes the VJCSP Application Form and the VJCSP Confidential Letter of Recommendation Form.
To see a list of previous VJC scholarship recipients, click here.