AABE William Grant Pinkard Scholarship Fund

Scholarship Application and Guidelines:
The American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE) is a professional organization of African Americans in the energy industry. Through its Scholarship Program, AABE seeks to help increase the number of African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans (underrepresented minorities) in energy related fields. By doing so, we help our nation address a critical need and a challenge to our future economic vitality in the world market.

About William Grant Pinkard II:
The William Grant Pinkard Scholarship Fund was named after a member of the Kansas-Missouri Chapter of the AABE who best exemplified the organization’s purpose and goals. William Grant Pinkard, II was a dedicated and active member.

Eligibility:
Candidates for an AABE scholarship must meet the following eligibility criteria:

1. Have, minimally, an overall “B” unweighted academic average (3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale);
2. Be a graduating high school senior who has applied to one or more accredited colleges/universities;
3. Plan to major in business, one of the physical sciences, technology, engineering or mathematics fields;
4. Be a member of one of a class or group of individuals who has been historically underrepresented in the sciences, technology, engineering and math related disciplines, as described above; and
5. Live in one of the following 15 Counties comprising the Kansas City metropolitan area: Jackson, Clay, Platte, Johnson, Buchanan, Cass, Lafayette, Boone in Missouri and Johnson, Wyandotte, Leavenworth, Douglas, Shawnee, Jefferson and Riley in Kansas.
6. Be a US Citizen

Selection:
Scholarship recipients – known as AABE Scholars – are determined each spring by the organization’s local chapter scholarship committee for local scholarships and by the National Scholarship Committee for national scholarships. Recipients receive notification of their selection.

Awards:
The Kansas-Missouri Chapter of AABE will award one scholarship of $2,000 per semester paid in August and January. Awards of $1,500 per semester will be issued to community college students. The top winner’s application is forwarded to compete for one of six National AABE Regional Awards of $3,000 per year. Additionally, a “Rufus D. Gladney” Premier Award of $5,000 is given annually to the candidate who is judged to demonstrate the most outstanding achievement and promise. National Awards are made to the students upon presentation of proof of enrollment at an accredited college or university. Distribution of local chapter awards are made at the discretion of the local chapter upon proof of enrollment at an accredited college or university. A William Grant Pinkard Scholar may renew the scholarship for a second year provided documentation that all scholarship guidelines and criteria have been sustained.