The DawnSignPress College Scholarship is given annually to a worthy deaf or hard of hearing student studying for a B.A. degree and preparing for a career in one of the following fields of study: Communications, Creative Writing, Deaf Education, Deaf Studies, English, Filmmaking, History, Linguistics, Literature, Multimedia.

Amount of Award: $2,000 for the academic year

Number of Winners: One

What Scholarship Funds May Cover: Any portion of tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board (if living on campus). Scholarships must be used within the academic year of award.

Scheduled Distribution: $1,000 prior to the Fall semester/quarter; remaining $1,000 prior to the Spring semester/quarter. For the Fall, payment will be sent once verification of enrollment is received. For the Spring, payment will be sent once a transcript of Fall semester grades has been mailed to DawnSignPress showing the student has a cumulative GPA of 2.5 and is in good standing with the college or university.

Scholarship funds go directly to the winner's account at the Financial Aid Office. Payment will not be made directly to the student.

If the scholarship winner changes schools, or withdraws or drops out, the balance of the award will be revoked.

Scholarship Program Guidelines:

To be eligible, applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

• Be a high school senior/graduate (those who have taken time off after high school graduation may also apply).
• Plan to enroll full-time in an accredited four-year American college or university in the Fall and Spring of the academic year. Public, private school, and home-schooled graduates are all acceptable. Only first-time B.A. candidates will be considered.
• Have permanent U.S. residency
• Have a 55db or greater loss in both ears
• Be between the ages of 16-25
• Plans to major in any of these accepted fields: Communications, Creative Writing, Deaf Education, Deaf Studies, English, Filmmaking, History, Linguistics, Literature, Multimedia.
• Demonstrate a commitment to the Deaf-World through academic leadership or extracurricular activities.
• Be nominated by an organization, agency, or school. Limit 3 nominees each.
• Complete the entire application packet. Late or incomplete applications will not be eligible for consideration.

DawnSignPress does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, disability, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, religious belief, or gender.

Relatives of current or former DawnSignPress employees are not eligible for the scholarship.

Application Materials Must Include (Do not staple):

• Nomination form from organization, agency, or school
• Completed application form, typed or printed
• Official high school transcript
• Copy of letter of acceptance from an accredited four-year college or university, which offers one or more of the accepted fields of study (if available)
• One letter of recommendation (500-1,000 words) from a teacher or guidance counselor who is familiar with your academic record, skills, and abilities
• Proof of permanent residency, if not a U.S. citizen
• Proof of age. Copies of any of the following are acceptable: driver's license, passport, birth certificate
• Proof of enrollment in an accredited college or university for the Fall/Spring of the coming academic year, when available
• Audiogram and certifying letter by a licensed audiologist
• A 1,500-word essay outlining your school and community experiences and your involvement in the Deaf-World. Why did they lead you to want to major in your chosen field of study? Please include a list of your academic and personal achievements on a separate page. In addition, you have the option of providing a five- to ten-minute videotape on any topic of your choice to give us more insight into your interests and future goals. The essay must be typed and double-spaced, printed on one side only, and unstapled. If you decide to send a videotape along with your essay, it must be clearly labeled with your name and the date it was made. Tapes must be of good quality.

Selection Criteria:

Applications are evaluated for the following:

• Academic achievement
• Creativity and expressiveness in the essay or video
• Community activities/leadership in the Deaf-World
• Commitment to chosen field of study
• Potential for future success
• Opportunities the scholarship will create for the student

A screening committee established by DawnSignPress will choose the scholarship recipient.

The winner agrees to allow DawnSignPress to use his or her photo, image, or likeness on the company's website and in public announcements and press releases about the scholarship.

Scholarship Application Forms:

Download and print the scholarship application form and the nomination form by clicking on the following links: DSP Nomination Form and DSP Application Form; (both require Adobe Acrobat Reader). You can also request forms by contacting DawnSignPress at (858) 625-0600 Voice/TTY. Forms may be reproduced if additional copies are required. Applications on clearly reproduced forms are acceptable.

Application materials will not be returned. Please do not send originals of birth certificates, permanent resident cards, or other important documents.

Application Period and Deadline:

Application and nomination forms must be received by DawnSignPress no earlier than February 15 and no later than May 1. Applications sent before February 15 and received after May 1, as well as incomplete packets, will not be accepted. Please send in only one application. Applications delivered by overnight mail, FedEx, courier, fax, or e-mail will not be accepted. Please make sure you allow enough time for the packet to be delivered before the deadline.

DawnSignPress is not responsible for lost, delayed, or misdelivered applications.

Scholarship Winner:

The winner of the DawnSignPress College Scholarship will be announced on the website after June 1.

The scholarship is nonrenewable. Winners may not apply again.

Checklist (Print out and cross off each item as you complete your application packet)

Make sure your packet includes the following required items. Incomplete packets will not be eligible for consideration.

1. Application Form
2. Nomination Form
3. Letter of recommendation from teacher/guidance counselor
4. Essay or videotape
5. Letter of acceptance from college/university
6. Official transcript
7. Proof of enrollment (if available at time of application)
8. Proof of age
9. Audiogram and certifying letter
10. Proof of permanent residency (if not U.S. citizen) (please send copy, not original)

Send to:

College Scholarship Committee
DawnSignPress
6130 Nancy Ridge Drive
San Diego, CA 92121-3223

DawnSignPress reserves the right to announce that no winner has been chosen if none of the applications meet its selection criteria.