William C. and Bertha Black Rhoda Scholarship

To honor graduates of Vashon High School, the William C. and Bertha Black Rhoda Scholarship Fund was established in 1994 from the estate of William Clarence Rhoda in memory of his wife, Bertha Black Rhoda. In his will, William Rhoda indicated that the scholarships were to be used for the “higher education of negro men and women who reside in the St. Louis Metropolitan area who would otherwise be unable to obtain the benefit of such education in colleges and professional schools located in the United States…graduates of Vashon High School shall receive special consideration for scholarships. In selecting scholars, the St. Louis Community Foundation shall consider the character and ambition of such negro applicants who need not necessarily be in the upper third of their class scholastically. If the recipient remains in good academic standing in college, the grant may be renewed for subsequent years including graduate school as the St. Louis Community Foundation determines.”

The amount of this scholarship varies from year to year and is renewable if the student remains enrolled full time and makes satisfactory progress toward a degree.

Eligibility:
Students must be

  1. residents of the St. Louis metropolitan area
  2. African-American
  3. graduating senior in high school
  4. able to demonstrate unmet financial need while enrolled full time in an accredited U.S. college or university
    Graduates of Vashon High School will be given special consideration.

Selection
Applications will be evaluated on the basis of:

  • character and ambition as demonstrated on the application and from letters of recommendation
  • academic preparation as demonstrated on the cumulative high school transcript
  • unmet financial need at the college in which the student enrolls. FAFSA SAR and financial aid award letter required.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please answer all questions that apply to you, even if they are not marked “required."

Notification
Application status will be changed from submitted to either offered or denied in June. Applicants can view their status by logging in to their Scholarship Central account. Funds will be mailed to the recipients’ schools in August.

Questions? Contact Ellen Vietor, Scholarship Manager at the St. Louis Community Foundation at scholarships@stlgives.org or 314-880-4960.

Eligibility, financial need, and award amount for this scholarship program will be determined by the St. Louis Community Foundation. This scholarship program, as component fund of the St. Louis Community Foundation, does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, creed, national origin, gender, age, color, sexual orientation, veteran status, physical or mental disability.

Donor
William C. and Bertha Black Rhoda
Award
$2,000, renewable
Deadline
04/15/2023
Supplemental Questions
  1. To be considered for this scholarship, your Scholarship Central General Application MUST include your FALL transcript for the current academic year. The transcript should show your name, school, grades, and cumulative GPA. If you previously uploaded an earlier transcript, please upload a new transcript to your General Application and change your answer to the GPA question. If your college choice has changed, please update that on the General Application as well.
  2. List any extracurricular activities, work or volunteer involvement, including the activity, the time involved, dates of involvement, and position(s) held:
  3. ESSAY: Write an essay that explains why you chose this field of study and what your plans are when you complete your degree. Share your goals and vision for your career in this field.
  4. Upload your FAFSA Student Aid Report (SAR) for next year.
  5. Enter your EFC that is on your FAFSA Student Aid Report (SAR).
  6. UPLOAD: Please upload next year's Financial Aid Award Letter from the college you will attend. This document will be required before an award can be determined and should include: college name, applicant name, loans, grants and scholarships offered.
  7. What school issued the award letter that you uploaded?
  8. Upload documentation from the school you plan to attend that shows your total cost of attendance.
  9. List any financial awards you have been notified about for the period for which you are requesting funding. These may include veteran's benefits, tuition waivers, WIA benefits, employee reimbursement, as well as other institutional/grant aid.
    • 1. Name
    • 2. Amount
    • 3. Renewable
  10. List the names of any siblings, their age(s), and what school(s) they are attending (if any)
  11. Where will you live during the academic year for which you are applying?
  12. If you wish to inform the reviewers of any unusual financial circumstances, including costs associated with your education or educational loans already incurred for or by you, please provide here. Please note that tax forms, W-2s or other documentation may be requested to verify information on the FAFSA Student Aid Report.
  13. SCHOLARSHIP CENTRAL RECOMMENDATION: Enter the name and e-mail address of an instructor, counselor, advisor, supervisor or other similarly qualified individual who will submit a recommendation on your behalf. NOTE: As the applicant, it is your responsibility to inform that person to watch for an email sent on your behalf that will explain how to complete this process.
  14. SCHOLARSHIP CENTRAL SECOND RECOMMENDATION: Enter the name and e-mail address of an instructor, counselor, advisor, supervisor or other similarly qualified individual who will submit a letter of recommendation on your behalf. NOTE: As the applicant, it is your responsibility to inform that person to watch for an email sent on your behalf that will explain how to complete this process.
  15. SIGNATURE: By entering my full name below, I certify that the information I have provided is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and I authorize the St. Louis Community Foundation and its agents to examine, verify and discuss my academic records and other information that applies to the consideration of this application. My signature also signifies that, if awarded, I understand that it is my responsibility to inform the St. Louis Community Foundation of any changes to my college plans and that I understand that some portion of scholarship awards I receive from any source may be considered taxable income if the total amount exceeds the cost of tuition and course related fees, supplies and equipment.
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