The 2016 Joe Lieberman Connecticut Scholarship Fund is open for student applications through April 1.

Submitted

Scholarship America announced today that the Joe Lieberman Connecticut Scholarship Fund, to assist outstanding high school seniors from Connecticut who plan to continue their education in college or vocational school programs, is now open for its fourth year of student applications.

Each recipient is awarded a $1,500 scholarship, renewable for up to three additional years or until a bachelor’s degree is earned. To date, 15 students have received renewable awards, with the first class of Lieberman Scholars now in their junior year of college. For 2016, up to five more Connecticut high school students will be selected for this prestigious award.

“The Joe Lieberman Connecticut Scholarship Fund continues to be a way for me to both thank and give back to Connecticut by helping outstanding seniors go to college and pursue their dreams,” said Sen. Lieberman. “Higher education can provide the foundation for greater opportunity and making a difference in local communities and our nation. I am grateful to have the chance to support these students as they advance in their academic studies, and I share their families’ pride in their considerable accomplishments.”

To be eligible, students must be United States citizens or permanent legal residents, be high school seniors who reside in and receive their high school education in Connecticut, plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate study at an accredited two-year or four-year college, university or vocational-technical school for the upcoming academic year, have a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale (or its equivalent), and demonstrate outstanding leadership potential and a record of community service.

“As I continue my education studying chemical engineering at Cornell University, I hope to embody the same integrity and passion of Senator Lieberman,” said Joanna Rizza of Southbury, a 2015 recipient of the award. “It means a great deal to know that he is supporting me as I pursue my own dreams.”

“Being a Lieberman Scholar is about more than the financial support. It is an investment in us and our futures. This recognition drives me to excel academically and professionally,” added Emily Castle, a 2013 recipient from Ridgefield.

The scholarship is administered by Scholarship Management Services, a division of Scholarship America, the nation’s largest designer and manager of scholarship and tuition assistance programs for corporations, foundations, associations and individuals. Awards are granted without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, age, gender, disability or national origin, and scholarships will be awarded for full-time study at an accredited institution of the student’s choice.

Because only the first 500 applications received will be opened and processed, Scholarship America encourages students to apply for the scholarship as soon as possible. Applications close on April 1, 2016. The application and additional information can be found at https://www.scholarsapply.org/lieberman.

About Scholarship America^®

For more than 50 years, Scholarship America has worked directly with students, parents, colleges, businesses and communities to empower people to fulfill their college dreams. As the nation’s largest provider of private scholarships, having distributed over $3.1 billion to more than 2 million students, Scholarship America is now working to further engage the private sector to support programs and policies that advance equity in postsecondary education and help students overcome barriers to access, persistence and attainment. More information is available at scholarshipamerica.org.