Notes from the Coordinators
Vegetarian Resource Group Scholarships
The deadline for The Vegetarian Resource Group college scholarships is annually February 20. We are making the decisions about the applicants when most subscribers are receiving this issue. Write-ups about the winners will be in our year-end issue.
Each year we have about 250-300 high school seniors applying for three to six prizes, depending on what is funded. Besides major awards of $5,000 and $10,000, sometimes donors sponsor smaller runner-up amounts. We also offer paid need-based internships, plus some prizes for videos (see page 22) and essays for our children's contest. It's always exciting to support young activists and encourage their present and future work.
Beyond the actual prize money, just offering the scholarships is a way to say veganism/vegetarianism is mainstream. Students and teachers can see there are scholarships available besides what is given by the animal industries or other institutions that may not share our values. The contest gives students a way to feel what they believe and work for is important to others, even when they may have been criticized and not supported for their beliefs.
For example, one student said, "I am so excited and thankful for this amazing scholarship opportunity. I am glad that there is a specific scholarship out there for vegetarians like myself! It allows me to feel accomplished for the healthy lifestyle I have been able to maintain. Heard about scholarship from my financial aid counselor." Another individual stated, "I came across this scholarship when purposely searching scholarships for vegetarians. I could not believe my eyes to discover that such a scholarship existed." Two others said, "Whenever I tell anyone that I am a vegetarian, half of the time their response is something along the lines of, "Oh, I could never do that, I hate tofu.' So it's always great to hear from a fellow tofu enthusiast!" and "Thank you for the opportunity to express my journey as a vegan."
Every entrant of course hopes they will win, and do deserve a prize. As a nonprofit, we're on both sides of the fence since we're simultaneously giving out these scholarships and applying for grants. So we understand. A student may have top grades, attend the best schools, do all kinds of amazing volunteer work, and deserve scholarships, but since our prize is focused on vegetarianism, they may not be a finalist. By the same token, we believe by promoting veganism we are supporting health and environmental changes as well as animal welfare. However, VRG doesn't fit into the guidelines of most foundations as the grantors see it differently. So thank you to everybody who supports VRG through subscriptions, memberships, donations, book sales, and volunteering. We couldn't be here without you.
Debra Wasserman & Charles Stahler
Coordinators of The Vegetarian Resource Group
