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SCHOLAR PORTAL

Program Guidelines

11th-Grade College Scholarship

Documentation Required Before College Enrollment & Initial Scholarship Payment

For the Program to pay an awarded scholarship, each awardee must enroll in college for the fall semester immediately following high school graduation. Traditional Scholarship recipients are awarded in 11th grade. However, the awardee must continue to meet eligibility requirements throughout their remaining high school career for the Program to pay an awarded scholarship. Eligibility based on required high school GPA or college admissions test scores will be verified both at the time of application and after high school graduation. 

To verify that a scholarship awardee remains eligible to receive the scholarship for the first year of college, additional documentation is required to be submitted by awardees to the Program prior to first fall enrollment. All documentation must be submitted on the KC Scholars portal. The table below lists documentation required for the recipient to remain eligible for the scholarship. The failure of an awardee to submit the required documentation by the deadline stated in the KC Scholars portal may make the awardee ineligible to receive a scholarship. 

11th-Grade College Scholarship

Documentation Required to be Submitted During Senior Year of High School for Scholarship Awardees.

  • Documentation of SAI per FAFSA- FAFSA Submission Summary (must remain at 12,000 or less) or alternate form provided by Great Jobs KC for students’ ineligible for FAFSA 
  • College admissions letter 
  • College Enrollment Plan verifying fall enrollment 
  • Waiver for Release of Information 

Early High School Graduation

New awardees who graduate high school early – the same year they are awarded – must inform the Program by June 30 of their awarded year to maintain eligibility for the upcoming fall term. 

Maximum Scholarship Value & Maximum Numbers of Years of Scholarship Support

The period during which a Traditional awardee’s scholarship may be paid (the “Payment Period”) begins the fall semester immediately following high school graduation. 

The Traditional Scholarship Program has three program completion points: 

  • completion of a Bachelor’s degree, 
  • utilization of the maximum $50,000 funding,  
  • utilization of the maximum six (6) year payment period. 

If any one of the three completion points is met, the Traditional Scholarship is complete and the awardee is ineligible for future scholarship payments.  

In addition to a maximum funding limit, the Scholarship also has semester and annual payment limits.  The table below details the maximum scholarship value the Program will send to the Scholar’s College Network institution each semester. 

Tuition costs for 4-year institutions by semester and credit load: $5,000 for 12+ credits, $3,750 for 7-11 credits, and $2,500 for 1-6 credits; summer rates are lower—making flexible options available for the adult learner.
Chart showing tuition costs for 2-year institutions by semester and credit load, ranging from $625 to $2,500 depending on the semester and number of credits taken—ideal for the adult learner seeking flexible education options.

The Program will track the number of years and scholarship value used from and remaining for each Scholar. The term award will not exceed the values listed and described above. 

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

The Adult Learner Scholarship application is closed. Please click GET STARTED to be added to communication reminders on when to apply during the next open cycle.

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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