SCHOLARSHIP OVERVIEW
John Stoffel contacted the SSA office for information about soaring and training. He was sponsoring glider training for his grandson. His appreciation for the time and information provided by the SSA staff was to donate $10,000 to the SSA, which was applied to five SSA Stoffel Flight Training Scholarships for 2019 and he donated another $10,000 again for 2020. John’s grandson achieved his Private Glider rating in July, 2019.
Pre-/Post-solo SSA members STUDENT and pilots without a glider rating 13 – 25 years old may apply. Applicants must express both desire and a plan for success and if under 18, must have parent/guardian support for participation. Applicants must make a good case through a personal statement, in the form of an essay, and letters of recommendation supporting their interest and desire in learning to fly gliders, their financial need, and their promise in other aspects of life.
AWARD DETAILS
Up to 5 awards of $2000 for direct flight training expenses. $1250 will be available initially. The remaining $750 will be available following both solo or successful completion of the FAA Knowledge Test. Detailed invoices of flight training expenses must be invoiced to the SSA at scholarships@ssa.org, for payment to the servicing organization. No expenses will be paid two years after the date of the award announcement.
Promotion and fulfillment of the program are a cooperation between SSA, which administers and judges the scholarship, and local soaring chapters, clubs, and schools, who get reimbursement for their qualified charges; tows, glider rental, instructional costs, and costs of successful exams. The flight training organization must be willing to cooperate on the reimbursement process. Funds are not available for dues, joining fees, or other non-training costs.
FAQS
- Demonstrates commitment to soaring by contributing through both flying and non-flying activities and is known for being willing to help with anything.
- Demonstrates a strong interest in aviation and had specific, measurable, achievable, results-focused, and time-bound (S.M.A.R.T) goals related to soaring.
- Includes a personal statement that explains how they will use the scholarship. Ideally, this is a project or goal that relates to the item above.
- Has various skills and talents and uses them to promote their club, soaring in general, etc.
- Ideally, demonstrates a financial need for the award (this should NOT discourage anyone from applying)
- Read the award biographies in the section above for all of the awards that you are eligible for.
- Find a mentor (at your flying club/operation, school, family, etc.) who will read your application completely and help you revise it.
- Ask for reference letters several weeks before the application is due so that they are well written and not rushed.
- The scholarship selection committee is looking to invest the money in people who have earned these awards through their contributions to soaring. Give specific examples of things you did that benefit the soaring community. Some common examples:
- Instead of saying: “I help get gliders ready”, try: “Every weekend I help with/conduct pre-flight inspections, clean the canopies, wipe the wings, and walk the gliders to the flight line for others.”
- Instead of saying: “I talk about gliders at school”, try: “During my Science class, we had to give presentations on (insert topic here) and I shared the story and photos of my first glider ride and a summary of how gliders fly.”
- Convince the scholarship selection committee that you love glider flying and that you have a plan to use the scholarship money. If applying to use the money for flight training, don’t leave the scholarship committee wondering what club you will be flying at, how you will get there, etc. If applying for the Bultman, be creative with your application and intended use – some ideas to get started might be: going to fly cross country or wave camp or contest, going to fly at a new location (maybe not even in the US), taking friends for rides, getting a winch/aerotow/motorglider endorsement, etc.