Mount Ida College

Full-time undergraduate students are eligible to be nominated and selected as Matteson Scholars in the spring semester of their first year. The scholarship will be added to the student's financial aid package for the following academic year and is designed to enhance the previous year's financial aid offer. Students must have demonstrated leadership skills in the classroom and the campus community, and also have demonstrated financial need. Each recipient of the scholarship will be known as a 'Matteson Scholar' and will be expected to work to achieve levels of academic excellence, leadership and community care for themselves and for the College. The Matteson Leadership Scholarship is renewable and the students must maintain the academic, leadership and community standards defined below. Tuition Remission students are not eligible.

Award Criteria and Operating Procedures

1. The Matteson Leadership Scholarship is presented each year to a full-time, first year undergraduate student(s) who has completed at least 15 credits at the time of nomination with a GPA of 2.67.*
2. The presentation of the award will be made in the spring of each year at the appropriate College event. Each student recipient of the scholarship award will be designated a Matteson Scholar.
3. The student must demonstrate leadership skills in the classroom and/or other settings in the campus community. While GPA is important it is not the sole criteria for this award and if GPA becomes the only criteria for which the student is recognized, the student does not meet the intention or spirit of the award. The student must demonstrate leadership skill and potential through action and experience.
4. The Matteson Scholarship is renewable for years 2, 3, and 4 of full-time undergraduate enrollment providing that the student maintains a CGPA of 2.67 or higher. Matteson Scholars who enroll for a fifth year of full-time study will not receive funding. A Matteson Scholar who is placed on disciplinary probation will forfeit the Matteson Scholarship and will not be considered for renewal. A Matteson Scholar whose CGPA falls below 2.67 will lose the Matteson Scholarship the semester after the CGPA falls below 2.67. The student’s Matteson Scholarship status may be reinstated if the CGPA returns to 2.67 or higher by the following semester.
5. The student must demonstrate financial need as indicated through the regular application process for financial assistance. The Director of Financial Aid shall be the source of this information. The Director of Financial Aid will review each Matteson Scholar's continuing eligibility for the award. The decision to withdraw a Matteson Scholar because of eligibility concerns will be submitted to the senior staff who will make a decision concerning continued eligibility.
6. The student may be nominated by any member of the college community via a letter of nomination outlining the manner in which the nominee meets the criteria for the Matteson Scholarship. The selection committee may solicit additional information from the nominee or other members of the college community in order to strengthen the nominee's nomination for the award.
7. The nomination form must be completed by the deadline established each year.
8. The selection committee will be made up of a cross selection of the Mount Ida College Community including students (sitting Matteson Scholars), faculty, staff and administration. The committee will be convened each year by the Director of Financial Aid.
9. The awardee will be informed of his/her selection, so that appropriate invitations can be extended for ceremonies associated with the award.