COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
Farmers Mutual Telephone Cooperative of Shellsburg offers a college scholarship program to support the continuing education of high school seniors whose parents are members of the cooperative and have service in the Shellsburg, Benton Township, Urbana, or Alburnett exchange. Scholarships are awarded yearly to a minimum of two students in each of those four exchanges.
The application deadline has expired for 2024.
COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
Farmers Mutual Telephone Cooperative of Shellsburg (d/b/a USA Communications) offers a college scholarship program to support the continuing education of high school seniors whose parents are members of the cooperative and have service in the Shellsburg, Benton Township, Urbana, or Alburnett exchange. Scholarships are awarded yearly to a minimum of two students in each of those four exchanges.
There are three ways to apply:
- Via the mail (USPS)
- Apply via e-mail
- Apply Online
Scholarship Eligibility
An applicant must:
1) be a graduating high school senior;
2) receive his/her service from USA Communications in the following communities/prefixes: Shellsburg – 436, Benton Township – 453, Urbana – 443 or Alburnett – 842; and
3) successfully complete the first semester in an accredited two-year or four-year college or university, or vocational- technical school.
Farmers Mutual Telephone Cooperative of Shellsburg (d/b/a USA Communications) scholarships will be awarded to deserving students whose academic credentials fall within an average to above-average range.
Award Procedure
- Applications will be reviewed and approved by the Farmers Mutual Telephone Cooperative Board of Directors.
- Winners will be notified by mail in April 2025.
- Scholarship award certificates in the amount of $1,250.00/per student will be presented to the winners in May 2025 at each schools Senior Awards Ceremony.
- Scholarships will be awarded on a one- time basis and will not be renewable.
- Award will be paid upon proof of second-semester registration at an institute of higher education, and will be issued in January 2026. Award payment will be sent to the institutes Financial Aid Office.
- Scholarship will be awarded without regard to race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex or disability.
- Incomplete applications or non-typed essays will not be considered.
how to apply
Applications and supporting material can be submitted via mail, email, or online form. The submission deadline is April 1, 2025.
1) Complete the scholarship application in full.
2) Prepare a typed 300-word essay that addresses the following:
- explain why the services provided by USA Communications are important to you and/or members of your family; and,
- tell us where you plan to work and how you plan to give back to your community once you start your career.
3) Have a high school teacher or counselor complete the Educator’s Recommendation (included in the application form). This recommendations must be sent in a sealed envelope from its author.
4) Submit one letter of recommendation from a local community leader, elected official or local business representative. Recommendations must be sent in a sealed envelope from the letter’s author.
5) Include your most recent grade transcript (all seven semesters must be included.)
6) If available, include test scores and/or class rank with the transcript.
Make sure to:
- Include a completed application form. Incomplete applications or non-typed essays will not be considered.
- Include a transcript (all seven semesters) and any test scores and/or class ranking.
- Include a typed 300-word essay.
- Include an Educator’s Recommendation.
- Include a letter of recommendation from a local community leader, elected official or local business representative.
- Collect all documents and mail in one envelope addressed to:
USA Communications
PO Box 389
Shellsburg, IA 52332
Postmark your entry by April 1, 2025.
1) Complete the scholarship application in full.
2) Prepare a typed 300-word essay that addresses the following:
- explain why the services provided by USA Communications are important to you and/or members of your family; and,
- tell us where you plan to work and how you plan to give back to your community once you start your career.
3) Have a high school teacher or counselor complete the Educator’s Recommendation form (included in the application form). The teacher or counselor must send the completed form to the postal or e-mail address listed below by April 1, 2025.
4) Submit one letter of recommendation from a local community leader, elected official or local business representative. The recommendation letter must be sent by the person who wrote it to the postal or e-mail address listed below by April 1, 2025.
5) Acquire your most recent grade transcript (all seven semesters must be included.)
6) If available, acquire test scores and/or class rank with the transcript.
Make sure to:
- Attach a completed application form
- Attach a transcript (all seven semesters) and any test scores and/or class ranking.
- Attach a typed 300-word essay.
- Send all material to the e-mail address listed below.
- Make arrangements for an Educator’s Recommendation.
- Make arrangements for a letter of recommendation from a local community leader, elected official or local business representative.
USA Communications
PO Box 389
Shellsburg, IA 52332
Send applications and recommendations via email to celdred@usacomm.coop.
Click here to apply online. Please include all requested attachments. All applications and supporting material must be received/postmarked by April 1, 2025.