By Abby Cloud

Hosted by the Center for Leadership and Social Change, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Book Stipend Scholarship is open and currently accepting applications.. The stipend is made possible through the collaboration of the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, the Family Connection Council, and the Black Alumni Association.

Thirteen chosen students will receive awards of $350 that will be issued by the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, the Family Connection Council, and the Black Alumni Association. If chosen as a scholarship recipient the student will receive the award as a check or direct deposit during the fall semester of the following year. The purpose behind the stipend is to assist students in completing their education here at Florida State University. This stipend is awarded on a competitive basis and both undergraduate and graduate students are welcome to apply.  

This stipend has two sets of eligibility criteria: those who receive the FSU Black Alumni Association awards must identify as African America/black and those who receive the Awards from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and the Family Connection Council can identify with any racial or ethnical background. 

For undergraduate applicants, the criteria to apply is as follows: undergraduate students must have at least 15 credit hours of college work here at FSU before they submit their application for the stipend and have a minimum GPA of 2.5. A full-time undergraduate student should be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours. 

For graduate applicants, the criteria to apply is as follows: first year graduate students must be enrolled in a minimum of 9 graduate credit hours and have a minimum GPA of 3.0. In addition to these requirements, graduate students should also plan to be enrolled full time at Florida State University for the subsequent academic year. A full-time graduate student should be enrolled in at least 9 credit hours. 

If you have received the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Book Stipend Scholarship in the past, it is requested that you do not apply again due to the volume of applicants. 

To apply, students must submit a transcript, letter of recommendation, and respond to four essay questions. Applications are due on November 22 by 11:59 p.m.

For more information regarding the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Book Stipend Scholarship, refer to their website here. To apply for the Book Stipend click here. If you’re seeking further assistance, please contact Kenya Shakir at 850-645-7504 or kshakir@fsu.edu.