HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM

POLICIES, GUIDELINES, AND PROCEDURES

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Afognak Benefits Trust (ABT) administers the Higher Education Program (HEP). Applications are available January 1 through March 15. HEP APPLICATIONS MUST BE postmarked by March 15, electronically received by 11:59 PM Alaska Time on March 15, or hand-delivered to the Afognak Native Corporation Kodiak or Anchorage office by 5:00 PM Alaska Time on March 15 If the deadline falls on a weekend, complete applications must be hand-delivered by 5:00 PM Alaska Time the Friday before the deadline.

Funding is awarded annually, and scholarship recipients will be announced at the Afognak Native Corporation (Afognak) Annual Meeting, typically held in May or June each year. The HEP is designed to recognize and provide financial support to eligible applicants with demonstrated scholastic ability who are pursuing higher education in traditional college, university, or vocational education programs. While we will continue to encourage applicants to apply for annual scholarship funding through the HEP Program each year, we will also accept applications for the Iqsak Multi-Year Scholarship. 

 WHO MAY APPLY

1. The ABT Higher Education Program awards scholarships to:
2. Afognak Native Corporation Voting Shareholders who are Alaska Native or descendants of an Alaska Native. 
3. Adoptees of an Alaska Native or a descendant of an Alaska Native whose adoption occurred prior to majority and is recognized at law or in equity, and  adoptees whose adoption occurred after the age of majority, but only if that adoptee is both an Alaska Native and a voting Shareholder. 
4. Applicants must have a grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.5 as shown on their transcript (GPA of 3.0 required for Iqsak Multi-Year Scholarship) and be accepted to an accredited institution, university, college, vocational education program, or trade school.

3.    Employees and Board members who also meet all other requirements under “Who May Apply”, are eligible.

1. Applicants must be a high school graduate or have a general education diploma (GED) by the start of the postsecondary education to be eligible to apply for HEP funding.
2. Applicants must be in good standing with Afognak’s and ABT’s other scholarship programs and making degree progress on a clear higher education pathway.
3. Applicants can apply for funding under one of the following categories:

Full-Time Students: Full-time traditional college or university status is defined as follows:

1. Undergraduate: 12 or more credit hours.
2. Graduate: 9 or more credit hours or as defined by graduate program.

Part-Time Students: Part-time traditional college or university status is defined as follows:

1. Undergraduate: less than 12 credit hours.
2. Graduate: less than 9 credit hours or as defined by graduate program.

Vocational Education: For students preparing for professions that are non-academic and directly related to a trade, occupation, or vocation. 

                                                IQSAK MULTI-YEAR SCHOLARSHIP

One Iqsak Multi-Year Scholarship will be awarded each year. One eligible applicant will be selected to receive up to $15,000 per year for up to four years to complete a full-time undergraduate degree. Priority is given to those pursing degrees in business, natural resources, communications, or information technology fields. Applicants will apply through the same application as for a standard single-year HEP scholarship, indicating their interest in the Multi-Year Scholarship and completing additional application tasks. Annual scholarship funding will not exceed documented need.

To qualify for the Iqsak Multi-Year Scholarship, applicants must be a voting Shareholder, have a minimum GPA of 3.0, be in good standing with all programs, and be pursuing a full-time undergraduate degree. Funding will renew for each subsequent term that the recipient remains eligible and makes degree progress as shown on an official transcript and course scheduled until graduation or up to four years, whichever comes first. Eligible applicants can apply prior to their freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior year. Those not selected for the Iqsak Multi-Year Scholarship will be considered for the one-year HEP Scholarship.

HOW TO APPLY

Applicants are encouraged to apply through the scholarship portal via my.Afognak.com. Only Afognak Shareholders can register on my.Afognak.com. The Scholarship portal uses SurveyMonkey Apply, which works best when each applicant has their own email address.Once logged in, visit the Scholarship tab, select the HEP program. Contact Shareholder Services if you need assistance registering on my.Afognak.com or have questions regarding the HEP Program. An application can also download from my.Afognak under the Resources > Publications link or requested through Shareholder Services.

REVIEW PROCESS

The ABT Board of Trustees appoints the ABT Scholarship Committee to select recipients of HEP awards. The Scholarship Committee considers all information and scores each application in the various categories: 

Full-time, Part-time and Graduate applicants: Scholastic Achievement, Completeness of Application, Letters of Recommendation (first time applicants only), and the Letter of Application.

Vocational applicants: Completeness of Application, Letters of Recommendation (first-time applicants only), and the Letter of Application.

Applicants should note their participation in Afognak- and ABT-sponsored programs (i.e., Future Leaders Summit, Alaska Native Executive Leadership Program, High School Intern, College Intern) as evidence of “Benefit to Alutiiq Community”.

Awards are determined based on the application’s score, number of terms attending, and total amount of funds available for awards. The decision to consider an application, award scholarship funds, and the amount is at the sole and absolute discretion of the Scholarship Committee.

GENE SUNDBERG AWARD

The Afognak Native Corporation and Afognak Benefits Trust honor our friend, mentor, Alutiiq leader, and longtime Board member, the late Gene Sundberg. Mr. Sundberg’s relentless pursuit of education benefits resulted in the creation of Afognak’s scholarship program in 1984. The ABT Board of Trustees memorializes Mr. Sundberg’s dedication and commitment to the Afognak peoples through a $6,000 Gene Sundberg Award. The HEP recipient with the highest overall score in the graduate, full-time, part-time, and vocational category will receive the Gene Sundberg Award in addition to their HEP scholarship award as follows: $2,500 graduate, $2,000 full-time, $750 part-time, and $750 vocational. In the event of a tie, the candidate with the highest GPA will be selected as the Gene Sundberg Awardee.

DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS

1. HEP funds will only be disbursed directly to the educational institution. All awards are calculated and paid in U.S. currency and students whose requests are in foreign currency will be recalculated to U.S. currency before they are scored and awarded. If the committee decides to do direct student pay in special circumstances, proof of payment from the student to the institution will be required; if not received, students will not be eligible for future awards, until remediated.
2. The full amount of the funding awarded will be distributed equally between the academic terms the student anticipates attending in one year, up to four terms per year, based on part-time or full-time enrollment status.
3. HEP scholarship award checks will not be sent out each academic term until:
   1. An unofficial transcript from the educational institution from the previous academic term has been received by the Scholarship Program; and 
   2. Proof of enrollment (i.e., current class schedule) for the current academic term has been received by the Scholarship Program.
4. HEP funds can be applied towards the following expenses: tuition, books, fees, supplies, and reasonable living expenses in conjunction with the student’s post-secondary education. The HEP program does not fund non-related school expenses such as credit cards, cell phones, equipment purchases (e.g., computer and internet), and other non-school related expenses. The Scholarship Committee may determine which costs are acceptable and adjust awards accordingly.
5. The Scholarship Committee may award top performing students with a spot bonus award using the forfeited scholarship carryover fund.
6. Applicants will not be awarded scholarships valued at more than the total cost of attendance identified on their application. 
7. If the Scholarship Program is notified of a surplus of funds awarded to a student, staff will request that the college/university return those funds to the ABT, which will then issue those funds to the HEP awardee.
8. Awarded funds not used or returned due to student forfeiture or program/college/university closure will be returned to ABT.
9. A HEP applicant may also apply for an ABT Career Enhancement Program (CEP) scholarship during the same year, provided the CEP funds are not awarded for the same purpose as HEP.

NUMBER OF HEP AWARDS

The number of HEP awards in each category is dependent upon:

1. the number of eligible applicants; and
2. availability of funds.

SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT RESPONSIBILITIES

ACADEMIC ADVISING PLAN – Students who do not maintain a 2.5 GPA, do not make degree progression, or move from full-time to part-time status after the start of the term must meet with their academic advisor and submit a document describing their academic improvement plan, signed by their academic advisor in order to continue being eligible for funding.

COMMUNICATION – Notify the Scholarship Program immediately if there is a change to the applicant’s mailing address, institution/program attending, or enrollment status (full-time vs. part-time).

PROOF OF ENROLLMENT –Recipients must provide proof of enrollment (i.e., a class schedule, unofficial transcript that indicates your enrollment, or letter from the educational institution verifying enrollment).

TRANSCRIPTS –Recipients must submit an official transcript at the beginning of each academic year, and an unofficial transcript at the end of each academic period. Funding checks will not be mailed each academic term until:

1. An unofficial transcript from the student from the previous academic term has been received by the Scholarship Program; and 
2. Proof of enrollment (i.e., Current class schedule) for the current academic term has been received by the Scholarship Program.

      If the recipient fails to submit their transcripts to ABT, future applications will not be considered, and any awards approved for the recipient will be withheld until the transcript requirements are met. If the recipient fails to meet the requirements within the following academic term, the funds will revert back to ABT.

GRADE POINT AVERAGE (GPA) – Applicants must demonstrate a 2.5 GPA,, and the recipient must maintain a cumulative 2.5 (GPA. If a recipient’s GPA falls below this level, they will be placed on probation for one term. If the minimum GPA is not achieved after one term, funding will be discontinued until the GPA requirement is met. A recipient may not apply for or receive future funding until the GPA requirement is met.

DEGREE PROGRESSION – If a recipient has been in a degree program for longer than the program-stated average length of time and/or are not showing progression toward graduation, the recipient is required to provide the Scholarship Program with their institution advisor's academic plan to demonstrate progression toward graduation. Recipients not making degree progress will be placed on probation through graduation. If progression is not maintained, funding will be discontinued until the degree progression requirement is met. A recipient may not apply for future funding until progression is made. The Scholarship Committee may also determine that an applicant is ineligible for funding if they have not made progression in several degree programs over time.

TEMPORARY CHANGE IN STATUS (FULL-TIME TO PART-TIME) – A recipient who receives funding to attend school full-time must maintain full-time status during the academic period in which the recipient applied for. Failure to maintain full-time status by moving to part-time status will result in the recipient being placed on probation for one term while funded until they return to full-time status. If the student does not maintain full-time status for the probationary term, funds will be adjusted for the subsequent term. If a student notifies the Scholarship Program that their status has shifted from full-time to part-time status after the scholarship has been awarded but before the school term starts, the scholarship award will be adjusted by staff after notifying the Scholarship Committee according to the amended score and award amount determined through the part-time scoring matrix.

CHANGING OF INSTITUTION/PROGRAM – Once a financial award has been made to a recipient, they must notify the Scholarship Program if they are changing institutions or programs during the funding year. Funding awards are based on the institution/program identified in the recipient’s application. A change in institution/program will result in a re-evaluation of the award. Changing of an institution will not result in an increase of a HEP award but may result in a decrease of a HEP award, based on new financial need information.

1. A recipient must notify the Program by submitting a letter if they are changing institutions/programs.
2. If a recipient changes institutions or programs, it is their responsibility to submit a new budget sheet, and admissions letter. The recipient’s total score will be adjusted to reflect the cost of the new institution/program and the HEP award will be adjusted accordingly.
3. A recipient may be financially responsible for changes made to their status, changing of institutions/programs, etc., and be required to reimburse funds lost as a result of their change, to the Scholarship Program. If the recipient fails to reimburse funds to ABT, future applications will not be considered.=

RESCORING OF APPLICATION – Due to change in institutions, programs, and categories, the Scholarship Committee will re-evaluate funding on a case-by-case basis.

FAILURE TO ATTEND/DROP-OUT – If a recipient fails to attend the educational institution for which they have been funded, or drops out before completion of the year, ABT will require that the HEP funds be returned to ABT in full, either by the institution, by the recipient, or a combination thereof. If the recipient fails to return HEP funds to ABT, future applications will not be considered.

MISUSE OF FUNDS – If a recipient misuses or attempts to misuse scholarship funds, ABT will require that the HEP funds be returned to ABT in full, either by the institution, by the recipient, or a combination thereof. If the recipient fails to return HEP funds to ANY, future applications will not be considered, and any current awards approved for the recipient will be withheld. In the case of fraud or criminal act, the Scholarship Committee may decline to consider any new scholarship applications even if the scholarship recipient repaid ABT the misused funds in full. The Scholarship Committee will determine whether any funds have been used improperly on a case-by-case basis.

HEP APPLICANTION CHECKLIST

Applications must be postmarked by March 15, or electronically received by 11:59 PM Alaska Time on March 15, or hand-delivered to Afognak Native Corporation’s Kodiak or Anchorage office by 5:00 PM Alaska Time on March 15. If the deadline falls on a weekend, complete applications must be hand-delivered by 5:00 PM Alaska Time the Friday before the deadline.

Each applicant is responsible for submitting a complete HEP application packet. Unless the applicant has a demonstrated need for assistance, it is expected that each applicant completes the application themselves rather than having a parent or guardian do so. If the applicant is under the age of 18, it is expected that the parent/custodian review and sign the application. The application and all required attachments, including those items being sent directly by a third party (e.g., transcripts, letters of recommendations), must be received by the deadline. 

Applicants who submit their application by March 1 and notify scholarships@afognak.com can receive an initial review by staff for completeness and make edits through the March 15^th deadline.

A complete application packet must be submitted. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. 

A complete application packet includes the following:

• Complete HEP application form. If questions do not apply, applicant will write “N/A” (not applicable).
• The applicant’s Afognak Shareholder ID number. 
• The applicant’s Student ID number issued by the school they applied to attend on the application and estimated graduation date.
• Complete Budget Sheet. 
• Backup documentation justifying all costs noted on the budget sheet must be provided, such as a cost of attendance form from the school. Iqsak Multi-Year Scholarship awardees need to submit an annual budget sheet before receiving scheduled scholarship funding.
• Most recent high school or college official or unofficial transcript showing a GPA of at least 2.5 (GPA of 3.0 required for Iqsak Multi-Year Scholarship). Provide copy of GED if applicant did not graduate from high school. Vocational applicants do not need to submit transcripts.
• Letter of Acceptance from the educational institution the applicant plans to attend (only required from first-time applicants, return applicants who are seeking funding for a new program, or return applicants who did not receive Afognak funding in the previous school year).
• Two (2) Letters of Recommendation for first-time applicants and those applying for the Iqsak Multi-Year Scholarship that are signed by the letter writer dated within the last year. One Letter of Recommendation must come from an individual who knows the applicant's character, scholastic, and/or leadership ability, such as a present or former faculty member or employer. The other Letter of Recommendation may be submitted by: a) A faculty member; b) An employer; or c) An individual who knows the applicant well; such as a minister, priest, doctor, or elder in your community.
  • No Letter of Recommendation from the applicant's family members will be accepted. The term “family members” is defined as spouse, significant other, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, child(ren), siblings, either by blood or adoption, or any other relationship where there is a financial tie (e.g., roommate, business/investment partner, etc.).
  • Returning students who are re-applying for the same degree program as the previous year do not need to provide letters of recommendation.
• Letter of Application describing the criteria below may be up to two pages, using Segoe 11 font size. All of the below must be addressed to receive a high score. If you have any questions on this portion, please reach out to Afognak Shareholder Services. A top scoring application must clearly discuss or demonstrate:
  • Introduction - Personal Background
  • Family Relationship and History to Afognak
  • Education goals (why attending school or degree program)
  • Field of Study Relevancy to Career Goals
  • Demonstrated Leadership
  • Current Community Service Contribution
  • Benefit to Greater Community
  • Benefit to Alutiiq Community
  • Tribal Affiliation 
  • Demonstrated Overall Writing Quality 
• Iqsak Multi-Year Scholarship Essay (Only those applying for the multi-year funding) .
• Signed Student Pledge
• A recent Portrait Photo of the applicant (optional). By submitting a photograph and signing the Student Pledge, the Applicant grants Afognak and ABT the right to use, publish, display, and distribute their image.

Applicants are encouraged to plan accordingly to ensure timely completion and receipt of all documents prior to the application deadline. An email verifying receipt of the application will be sent to the applicant when the application is received. Applicants who apply online will receive an automatic email when their application is received. If an applicant applies online and does not receive an automated email within 15 minutes, they should log back onto the HEP application portal via my.Afognak.com to verify that the application was successfully submitted.

An applicant who would like another individual to assist in the scholarship application process must complete and sign the Limited Power of Attorney form. To request a copy, please contact Afognak Shareholder Services.

All required items listed above must be submitted via the HEP application portal through my.Afognak.com. Paper applications must be mailed, emailed, faxed, or personal delivered to: 

Afognak Benefits Trust

Higher Education Program

300 Alimaq Drive                                          3909 Arctic Blvd., Suite 500

Kodiak, AK 99615                                          Anchorage, AK 99503

Phone: (907) 486-6014/(800) 770-6014   Phone: (907) 222-9500/(888) 292-9580

Fax: (907) 486-2514                                     Fax: (907) 334-9566

Email:scholarships@afognak.com

While Afognak Shareholder Services staff are available to assist students with their applications PRIOR to the deadline, it is the student’s responsibility to submit a complete application by the deadline. 

DEFINITIONS

The following terms used throughout this application and guidelines document are defined for clarity:

Academic year: Begins June 1 and ends on May 31 each year (12 months).

Academic term or Academic Period: An academic term or period is a division of an academic year, the time during which a school, college or university holds classes. These divisions may be called terms. The schedules adopted by institutions of learning or education systems vary widely. A semester system divides the academic year into two terms, roughly 16–18 weeks each. A trimester system divides the academic year into three terms, roughly 14 - 16 weeks each. A quarter system divides the academic year into four terms, roughly 12 weeks each, and generally counts the summer as one of the terms.

Accredited institutions: Educational accreditation is achieved through a process that monitors a college, university, or vocational education center’s services and operations to determine if applicable standards are met. If standards are met, accredited status is granted by an accreditation agency. 

Accepted to: You are considered “accepted to” a university or college when you have completed all necessary information to enroll in a degree-seeking program in your university, college, or vocation education center.

Afognak Shareholder ID Number: The 12-digit identification number that is assigned to each Shareholder when they receive stock in the Corporation. 

Alaska Native: Pursuant to Section 3(b) of ANCSA, a Native is defined as: A citizen of the United States who is a person of one-fourth degree or more Alaska Indian (including Tsimshian Indians not enrolled in the Metlakatla Indian Community), Eskimo, or Aleut blood, or combination thereof. The term includes any Natives as so defined either or both of whose adoptive parents are not Natives. It also includes, in the absence of proof of a minimum blood quantum, any citizen of the United States who is regarded as an Alaska Native by the Native village or Native group of which he claims to be a member and whose father or mother is (or, if deceased, was) regarded as Native by any village or group. Any decision of the Secretary regarding eligibility for enrollment shall be final.

ANCSA: Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971.

Applicant’s family member: Your spouse, parents, grandparents, children, brothers or sisters, either by blood or adoption.

Class schedule: A class schedule lists the classes you will take during the semester or quarter. A class schedule is an unofficial document, but it must be printed from your school website or other school document to prove that you are actually enrolled in the courses listed.

Cumulative grade point average: Your cumulative grade point average (GPA) reflects your most recent completed coursework for all the years you have gone to high school or college. It is a cumulative, numerical equivalent of your letter grades. In the most common system, A=4, B=3, C=3, D=1, and F=0. 

Descendant of an Alaska Native: Pursuant to Section 3(r) of ANCSA, a Descendant of a Native is defined as: (1) a lineal descendant of a Native or of an individual who would have been a Native if such individual were alive on December 18, 1971, or (2) an adoptee of a Native or of a descendant of a Native, whose adoption (a) occurred prior to their majority, and (b) is recognized at law or in equity.

Enrolled in: A student is considered "enrolled" when the student has registered for classes.

Freshman: Both first-time students and those with less than 30 credits are considered having status as a freshman.

Full-time student: Taking 12 or more undergraduate credit hours or 9 or more graduate credit hours during a semester/term/quarter or as defined by the school (official verification must be submitted). If your school defines full-time status differently, please submit the proper documentation stating their definition of full-time status. 

Graduate degree programs: Master’s degrees such as Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Master of Teaching (M.A.T.); Juris Doctorate (J. D.); and doctorate degrees such as Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), etc.

Letter of recommendation: A letter from someone who knows you, such as a teacher, employer, or minister that can describe your leadership or scholastic ability. 

Letter of acceptance: Once a university, college, and vocational education center has received all of the required information, they need to process your application to attend their institution, they will officially approve your acceptance. They will then send you a Letter of Acceptance announcing that you have been accepted.

Official transcript: An official transcript is the high school or university certified statement of your academic record. The official transcript is usually printed on security sensitive paper and contains the school or university seal and signature of the University Registrar. Some schools and universities also issue electronic official transcripts directly to scholarship programs.

Part-time student: Less than 12 undergraduate credit hours or less than 9 graduate credit hours during a semester/term/quarter or as defined by the school (official verification must be submitted).

Quarter: A quarter system divides the academic year into four terms, roughly 12 weeks each, and generally counts the summer as one of the terms.

Returning student: An applicant who received HEP funding in the previous academic year and is applying for funding for the same program in the current year.

Semester: A semester system divides the academic year into two terms, roughly 16–18 weeks each. A trimester system divides the academic year into three terms, roughly 14 - 16 weeks each. 

Spot Bonus: Periodically, the Committee may issue the top performing students a spot bonus award from the forfeited scholarships carryover fund.

Undergraduate degree programs: 2-year associate of arts degrees (A.A.) and 4-year degrees, including Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), etc.

Unofficial transcript: A printed record of a student's academic history that contains all courses both past and current, but is not stamped and/or marked "Official" and is not enclosed in a sealed envelope marked "Unofficial if Opened".

Vocational education: Vocational education or vocational education and training prepares trainees for jobs that are based on manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic, and totally related to a specific trade, occupation, or vocation. It is sometimes referred to as technical education as the trainee directly develops expertise in a particular group of techniques or technology.

Voting Afognak Shareholder: An Afognak Native Corporation Shareholder who owns a share of stock or shares of stock in Afognak Native Corporation and is an Alaska Native or descendant of an Alaska Native as defined by ANCSA.