OURS National Scholarships

Strauss Scholarship

Deadline: January 27, 2025

UCB recipients!

The Donald A. Strauss Scholarship provides a $15,000 award, consisting of a $7,000 scholarship and an $8,000 project grant. Applicants must be sophomores and juniors who will use the grant to pursue a self-initiated public service project during the year after winning the award. The project may be a new undertaking or an extension of an existing project.

Prospective applicants may wish to make an individual advising appointment with Alicia Hayes, the Strauss Scholarship campus liaison.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must:

  • have completed at least one year of college and will not graduate before June 2025
  • have a GPA in the upper third of class
  • have a desire to “make a difference” in local, regional, national, or international communities

Selection Criteria

Applicants will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Demonstrated interest in public service
  • Outstanding leadership potential
  • submitted an innovation public service project proposal

Application Requirements

  • Application summary
  • Resume (one page) that includes current and past public service
  • Personal Essay (one page)
  • Project Proposal (4 pages, including budget and timeline)
  • Two letters of recommendation – if working with a partner organization, also submit their letter of support
  • Acceptance Agreement
  • Transcript (unofficial or photocopy are acceptable)

For more information about this opportunity, visit the Strauss Foundation Website (opens external site).