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SCHOLAR PORTAL

Program Guidelines

About the Great Jobs KC - KC Scholars Scholarship Program

Great Jobs KC, Inc. and the KC Scholars Scholarship Program (the “Program”) is a scholarship and student support Program for low- and modest-income students who live in and/or attend a high school in one of six counties in the Kansas City metropolitan area: Wyandotte and Johnson Counties in Kansas and Cass, Clay, Jackson, and Platte Counties in Missouri. The Program first launched as KC Scholars in September 2016, made its first awards in May 2017, and the first class of Scholars enrolled in college in fall 2017.

The Program offers four awards:

  • Traditional Scholarship (11th-Grade College Scholarship application)
  • College-Specific Scholarship (11th-Grade College Scholarship application)
  • Adult Learner Scholarship (high school graduate or equivalent, age 24 or older as of annual application deadline)
  • College Savings Match (9th grade college savings match and incentive program)

The Program Goals are:

  • 80% of Scholars who enter college complete a degree within six years
  • 80% of Scholars graduates enter the Kansas City regional workforce with a family-sustaining career or enroll in a graduate Program
  • 90% of Scholars graduates are satisfied with their postsecondary experience

The KC Scholars Scholarship Program may be used only at one of the higher education institutions within the KC Scholars College Network of colleges and universities.

About Program Guidelines

These Program Guidelines contain the set of parameters that guide the administration of the Program. Great Jobs KC, Inc. and the KC Scholars Scholarship Program reserve the right to amend and update these Program Guidelines as the Program evolves, and participants in the Program shall be bound by the current version of the Program Guidelines. Great Jobs KC, Inc. and the KC Scholars Scholarship Program further reserve the right to make exceptions to these Program Guidelines when circumstances lead the Program to believe, in its sole discretion, that fairness and consistency in operation of the Program warrant the granting of an exception. All decisions made by Great Jobs KC, Inc. and the KC Scholars Scholarship Program staff in awarding and/or denying a scholarship or renewal of a scholarship, and any exceptions to these Program Guidelines, are final and not subject to appeal.

There are separate Program Guidelines for Traditional, College-Specific, Adult Learner, and College Savings Match awards.

 

Scholarship Payment Eligibility Confirmation

Scholarship awardees must document an SAI value of 12,000 or less prior to initial college enrollment. Appropriate documentation includes a FAFSA Submission Summary generated by FAFSA or other documentation as needed and approved by the Program staff for Scholars not eligible to complete the FAFSA. 

Traditional Scholars must submit SAI documentation as part of the high school Senior Year Documentation process. Adult Learner awardees must submit SAI documentation prior to completion of onboarding in May of their award year. Failure to submit SAI documentation by the designated deadline will result in removal from the Program. 

If the awardee submitted an SAI that is greater than the 12,000 application eligibility requirement, the Scholar may submit an appeal for review and consideration. Appeals must be submitted via the scholarship portal. Appeal decisions will be made by the Scholarship Program. Completion of an appeal does not automatically result in an approved appeal. All appeals will be reviewed by KC Scholars Program staff; resulting appeal determinations will be final.

SAI documentation for Traditional and Adult Learner awardees is confirmed prior to the first enrollment term; SAI documentation is not reviewed for program eligibility in subsequent terms.

SAI documentation for College-Specific awardees may be reviewed annually for scholarship eligibility.  Additional details regarding SAI documentation for College-Specific awardees is found in the College-Specific renewal requirements of the College-Specific Program Guidelines. 

Scholarship Use Guidelines

Scholarships are paid directly to the postsecondary institution of enrollment and not to the Scholar. For the Program to pay an awarded scholarship, the awardee must attend an institution in the KC Scholars College Network. The institutions in the KC Scholars College Network are listed on the official website of Great Jobs KC, Inc. 

The following guidelines outline how awarded scholarship funds must, may, and may not be used. 

The Program funds must be used for: 

  1. College credits that are credit-bearing or lead toward a credit-bearing degree.
  2. Expenses directly associated with successful degree completion, as defined by each individual institution. Items that Institutions often include within their definitions of expenses directly associated with successful degree completion include tuition, fees, educational supplies, course books, residence hall living costs, food plan, campus-based childcare and information technology, such as computers, software, hardware, and subscriptions, etc. for use in school. 

In the event the scholarship support combined with other institutional, state and federal aid exceeds Total Cost of Attendance as defined by the institution of enrollment, the Program encourages each institution to consider (a) carrying the balance over to the next succeeding term (or for summer) within an academic year so that the awardee may pay for eligible expenses in that term, (b) allowing the student to utilize the funds at qualified locations on campus to purchase items that would be considered expenses directly associated with successful degree completion for the duration of that semester or (c) providing a voucher for purchasing of items that would be considered expenses directly associated with successful degree completion. If the Institution is unable to do any of the above, the Institution will refund the excess funding to Great Jobs KC, Inc. at the end of each academic year. 

KC Scholars funds are non-refundable to awardees; at no time may KC Scholars funding be refunded directly to the Scholar.  Just as KC Scholars funds are sent to the KC Scholars College Network institutions, refund of KC Scholars funding from a KC Scholars College Network institution of enrollment must be returned to KC Scholars. 

Qualified Educational Scholarship Expenses: 

Eligible coursework may include:

  1. Coursework that leads to a credit-bearing degree, including ESOL, developmental classes, and other required pre-requisites, even if they are non-credit-bearing.
  2. Classes taken at a branch campus location in MO and KS of the institution in the KC Scholars College Network. 
  3. Online credit-bearing courses that are required for or count as electives for the credit-bearing degree sought by the awardee. 
  4. Study abroad and internship credit only if the experience results in college credits earned and applied toward a credit-bearing degree and only if they are billed for the credit hours by the KC Scholars College Network institution via the student account. 
  5. Graduate level coursework that combines undergraduate and graduate level programs in one course of study, prior to completing a bachelor’s degree.

Ineligible expenses include:

  1. Dual credit or any other college courses taken during high school
  2. Previous institutional debt
  3.  Student loan repayment
  4. Earning multiple bachelor’s degrees, unless awarded during the same semester. 
  5. Graduate programs that are a separate course of study and do not include completion of a bachelor’s degree.
  6. Graduate certificate programs that do not contribute to a bachelor’s degree

Additional information on acceptable uses of funds can be found here: greatjobskc.org/qualified-educational-expenses/.

Responsibilities of The Scholarship Awardee

The Program provides financial support for college attendance and completion and supports its recipients to aid their success in completing a college credit-bearing degree. To accomplish this and best support its scholarship recipients, Great Jobs KC, Inc. – KC Scholars Scholarship Program requires effective communication with recipients. As such, there are basic expectations and requirements associated with being supported by the Program. 

The academic expectation each semester for scholarship awardees enrolled full-time is meeting their institution’s Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements (typically 12 credit hours per semester with a GPA of 2.0 or higher depending on the institution Scholars are encouraged to utilize all available enrollment terms, fall, spring, and summer, to complete their academic goals within six years. 

Consistent communication with a Scholar’s assigned Scholar Advocate is essential to Program persistence and retention support. Communication with a Scholar Advocate may take a variety of forms, including 1:1 and group meetings, surveys, and email and text throughout each semester. Scholars who experience difficulty completing their degree plan or meeting expectations will work with their Scholar Advocate to identify resources and support available both on campus and in the community.

It is required and expected that scholarship awardees engage fully in and be responsive to the Program by fulfilling the expectations and responsibilities outlined below: 

  1. Submit a signed Waiver for Release of Information that will be shared with the  institution of enrollment 
  2. Completion of College Enrollment Plan/College Semester Payment Request form through the Program portal prior to each semester enrolled in college coursework 
  3. Completion of portal tasks as required
  4. Review Program Guidelines on an annual basis that are posted on Great Job KC, Inc. official website
  5. Attend and participate in all required Orientation sessions, meetings, and tasks
  6. Respond promptly to requests, particularly for ongoing surveying that will occur during high school, college, and alumni stages of the program
  7. Provide the Program with up-to-date contact information, including email, phone number, and mailing address
  8. Read and reply promptly to all notifications from the Program
  9. Notify the Program immediately of any changes in status that are directly relevant to eligibility criteria and/or status as a college student (specifically if changing enrollment statuses)
  10. If eligible, complete the FAFSA each year by the priority deadline date of the college of enrollment
  11. Participate in persistence and completion supports as assigned
  12. Participate in career development supports as assigned
  13. Participate in family engagement programming as assigned
  14. Maintain consistent engagement with assigned Scholar Advocate
  15. Meet all Scholarship Program deadlines

Scholars maintain scholarship eligibility through documentation of a College Enrollment Plan and Payment Request Forms. Forms completed after stated deadlines may result in delayed scholarship payments and/or enrollment limitations at partner institutions. For 11th-Grade Traditional and College-Specific awardees, failure to complete a College Enrollment Plan-Senior Year will result in dismissal from the Program. 

Withdrawals and Dismissals

If a Scholar has withdrawn or been dismissed from the Program, they are not eligible to apply again for the scholarship in subsequent years.

Awardees may communicate in writing to the Program that they wish to withdraw from the Program. KC Scholars will attempt to contact Scholars who are disengaged from the Program via email, text, and phone. If a Scholar is disengaged for three consecutive terms, a final outreach attempt will be completed via mail and email. Failure to respond/reengage with the Program after this outreach will result in Scholar withdrawal from the Program.

Any awardee withdrawn or dismissed from the Program will receive written communication from the Program documenting their dismissal. Scholars will receive prior notification of the reasons or grounds for dismissal before any action is taken. This notification provides Scholars with an opportunity to address any concerns or take necessary actions to rectify the situation before a final decision is made regarding their removal. 

The Program may dismiss a Scholar if there is no response to requests for documentation, especially in the case of repeated and final communication requests with specific deadlines given. 

Great Jobs KC skills Training Program Eligibility

In addition to the KC Scholars Scholarship Programs, Great Jobs KC, Inc. provides financial support for the completion of a variety of training programs in high-demand fields through the Great Jobs KC Skills Training Program.

KC Scholars awardees in high school and college are not eligible to participate in the Great Jobs KC Training Program. KC Scholars alumni may apply to participate in the Great Jobs KC Skills Training Program.

KC Scholars Scholarship Program College Network

The Program established a KC Scholars College Network of colleges at which the scholarship funding must be used. The KC Scholars College Network includes the institutions listed at the following link: greatjobskc.org/find-your-college/.

A group of graduates in caps and gowns celebrating outdoors. Text on the image reads "Over $12 million in scholarships being awarded." These scholarships are paving the way for promising careers.
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Stephanie underwood - Chief financial Officer

Stephanie Underwood serves as Chief Financial Officer at Great Jobs KC, where she leads the organization’s financial strategy in support of its mission to create economic mobility through education and workforce opportunities. With more than 17 years of experience in nonprofit finance, Stephanie brings deep expertise in financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and compliance. She is passionate about using her career as a platform to serve and support mission-driven organizations, helping them maximize impact through strong financial stewardship.

Prior to joining Great Jobs KC, Stephanie served as Chief Financial Officer for Griffith Centers, a behavioral and mental health organization, where she oversaw financial operations for a multi-million-dollar organization spanning residential, educational, and community-based programs. She also spent nearly a decade as Vice President of Accounting Services at NFP Partners, providing CFO-level leadership to nonprofit organizations across the country, with a focus on strategic growth, audit readiness, and governance.

Outside of her professional role, Stephanie volunteers her time at her church and serves on the board of a local nonprofit. She is known for her collaborative leadership style and her commitment to aligning financial strategy with mission impact. She holds a Master of Science in Accounting and is proud to be a first-generation college graduate.

 

 

 

Adult Learner College Scholarship

Program offers:

  • Up to $25,000 paid directly to the college over the course of up to six years.
  • Once awarded, the Scholar can enroll full or part-time the fall semester following awarding.
  • Scholarship can be used at any of our college partners. See our current list of partners HERE.
  • Scholarship can be used towards an associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, or a credit-bearing credential. 

Eligibility Requirements: 

  • Be a high school graduate or GED holder (24 years or older).
  • Live in one of the six eligible counties. (Kansas: Wyandotte, Johnson; Missouri: Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte)
  • Be income eligible. (FASFA Student Aid Index of 12,000 or less)
  • Have not previously earned a bachelor’s degree.
  • Have not previously been awarded a KC Scholars Scholarship (Traditional or Adult Learner).
  • Is not currently enrolled in a Great Jobs KC Skills Training Program.
  • US Citizenship/Residency is not required to apply.

If you need more information on program details, please find our FAQs HERE

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Jimmy Swift - Chief Operating Officer

As the Chief Operating Officer, Jimmy Swift is responsible for overseeing our core programs, our adult workforce development program, Great Jobs KC tuition-free job training, and our KC Scholars Scholarship Program, which includes 11th Grade Traditional Scholarships and Adult Learner Scholarships. 

Jimmy has a career in education that spans more than 25 years and is built around supporting and improving the performance of career training programs and leading the operations of degree-granting institutions. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in management and has served as Campus President, Vice President of Career Services, and Executive Director of various career schools.  

Most recently, Jimmy served as the Vice President of PLA University at Phalen Leadership Academies, bringing access to job skill training to the parents and families of the Scholars served by Phalen Leadership schools across the country.  Beyond his higher education experience, Jimmy serves as the Executive Board Chairman for Project Safety Net NY, a nonprofit community-based agency delivering a broad range of health, education, and prevention services to the New York Community. As the Chief Operating Officer for Great Jobs KC, he and his team are poised to make a substantial impact on the economic stability and future of Kansas City.

Great Jobs KC
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