IHSA and EQUUS Foundation Announce New $1,000 IHSA Champion of Equine Service Scholarship
Press Release
Fairfield, Connecticut—June 19, 2012—The Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) and EQUUS Foundation are pleased to announce the establishment of the $1,000 IHSA Champion of Equine Service Scholarship to stimulate volunteerism and advocacy on behalf of horses and the people who benefit from the horse’s unique ability to empower, teach, and heal.
Applicants are limited to individuals actively affiliated with the IHSA and meeting the scholarship eligibility criteria established by the IHSA; who perform a minimum 24 hours of volunteer community service for an organization(s) on The Equus Foundation carrots4acause network during the calendar year ending 11:59 p.m., December 31, 2012, such hours to be verified by the organization(s) and The EQUUS Foundation; and with a GPA (grade point average) of 3.00 or above.
To participate, the individual must sign up on the carrots4acause network at www.equusfoundation.org. The individual is responsible for logging in hours volunteered prior to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, December 31, 2012. All volunteer hours must be verified by The EQUUS Foundation and the organization(s) receiving the service, and The EQUUS Foundation will reserve the right to disqualify any hour(s) deemed questionable. The individual’s IHSA affiliation will be verified by the IHSA. The individual must complete the online application by February 15, 2013, and will be required to upload a current transcript with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 or above, and a current photo, as part of the scholarship application; the individual may also be required to complete the IHSA scholarship application available at www.ihsainc.com.
A committee consisting of IHSA and EQUUS Foundation representatives will be responsible for the evaluation of the applications and the selection of the recipient; the number of hours of community service over and above the 24-hour minimum requirement and the impact of the community service will be taken into consideration in the selection process. The EQUUS Foundation will award at least one and up to five $1,000 scholarships, depending on the number of eligible candidates, with such decision to be made by The EQUUS Foundation. The recipient(s) will be notified by The EQUUS Foundation on or before May 1, 2013. The IHSA will be responsible for the disbursement of funds directly to the recipient; such funds to be used for advancing the recipient’s equestrian and/or academic education.
About the IHSA Champion of Equine Service Scholarship
The IHSA Champion of Equine Service Scholarship is part of the Champions Program of The EQUUS Foundation, an incentive-based equine service volunteer program to recognize and reward individuals and organization on the carrots4acause network.
All eligible applicants for the IHSA scholarship are also automatically eligible to apply for The EQUUS Foundation Champions of Equine Service scholarships. A minimum of five $1,000 scholarships will be awarded on or before May 1, 2013. All Champions, including all eligible applicants for the IHSA scholarships, will also be automatically entered into a drawing where the winner may select a 501©3 public charity or eligible government entity on the carrots4acause network to receive an EQUUS Foundation grant. A minimum of $5,000 in one or more grants will be awarded. The drawing will be conducted on or before May 1, 2013.
About The EQUUS Foundation and IHSA
The EQUUS Foundation, Inc., established in 2002 as a 501(c)(3) national charitable foundation, seeks to raise awareness of the value of the horse in society through education and the awarding of grants to charities that use the horse to benefit the public, promote equine health and welfare, and elevate equestrian sport as a whole.
The IHSA was founded in 1967 to promote competition for riders of all skill levels, who compete individually and as teams at regional and national levels. IHSA is based on the principle that any college student should be able to participate in horse shows regardless of financial status or riding level. More than 400 educational institutions in the U.S. and parts of Canada have teams belonging to IHSA, including student academic clubs, JV, and/or varsity programs. Learn more at www.ihsainc.com, and connect with more than 6,600 student riders and coaches on Facebook and Twitter @IHSAinc.