Asian American Law Fund of New York 2010 Community Service Scholarships
The Asian American Law Fund of New York, Inc. (the “Fund”), a non-profit organization originally established in 1993 by the Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”), invites law students to apply for its Community Service Scholarship Awards (“Asian American Law Fund Scholarship” or the “Scholarship”). The Fund will award Scholarships in the amount of $5000 each to up to three law students with a demonstrated commitment to the Asian American community. The purpose of the award is to assist law students with their tuition while encouraging them to use their legal knowledge and training to benefit the Asian American community in New York and to foster commitment by law students to public service to the Asian American community in New York.
Applicants should include a description of their proposed summer community service project and the name, email address and phone number of a supervisor at the community service organization or other organization that the Scholarship Committee may contact. Applicants are responsible for arranging their own projects. A list of organizations that have hosted students in the past is attached. The list is only provided as an example and no guarantee is made that the organizations will continue to host students in 2010 or that volunteering at one of these organizations entitles the applicant to a Scholarship. Each student is expected to volunteer at least 6 weeks, 35 hours per week, during the summer of 2010 at such project and to apply the award to the payment of law school tuition. Award recipients are also requested to submit an essay at the end of the summer describing their experience with their project.
How do I apply for the Asian American Law Fund Scholarship?
1. Students enrolled in an ABA- or AALS-accredited law school in the United States at least half-time as determined by the law school are eligible to apply for the Asian American Law Fund Scholarship. To be eligible, an applicant must be a candidate for a J.D. degree and must be in good standing at his or her law school; students seeking advanced law degrees are not eligible for this program. Applicants must also be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
2. Applicants must submit a completed and signed Scholarship Application form (attached). The Scholarship Application must be accompanied by (i) a description of the proposed volunteer work for the Summer of 2010 plus the name, email address and phone number of a contact person at the organization sponsoring the volunteer work, (ii) an essay not to exceed 750 words, (iii) a letter of recommendation from a person not related to the applicant, (iv) an official copy of the applicant’s most recent law school transcript, (v) a copy of the applicant’s resume and (vi) a description of other scholarships, grants or awards that the applicant may be receiving during Summer 2010 and any course credit to be received for the Summer. Applicants who wish to demonstrate financial need may also submit a copy of their law school application for financial assistance or discuss such need in their essay. Applicants receiving other sources of funding and course credit for the Summer are eligible to apply for this scholarship but must disclose such funding and credit as part of their application. In addition, applicants must promptly notify the Fund if they receive such funding or course credit after the submission of the Scholarship Application.
3. Finalists may be interviewed by one or more members of the Scholarship Committee, either in person or by telephone prior to the final announcement of the awards.
When do I apply?
The completed Scholarship Application and all required materials must be postmarked by April 2, 2010.
When will the Scholarships be announced?
The Scholarships will be announced on or about April 20, 2010. The full amount of the award will be given to the recipient at the Fund’s Summer Reception event, in late June or early July 2010.
What criteria will be used to award the Scholarships?
The Fund will take into consideration all the materials submitted by the applicant and will give particular weight to the essay portion of the application and the applicant’s Summer project. The letter of recommendation should be written by a person who can provide relevant information to the Fund and who can be contacted by the Fund. Among the factors to be considered by the Fund are the following:
• the applicant’s demonstrated commitment to and interest in pro bono and/or public interest legal work to the Asian American community;
• the applicant’s leadership potential;
• the applicant’s maturity and responsibility; and
• the applicant’s financial need.
It is the Fund’s policy not to discriminate on the basis of age, gender, disability, race, color, creed, religion, ethnicity, national origin, veteran status or sexual orientation.
Members of the immediate families of officers and directors of AABANY and of members of the Fund’s Board of Directors and Scholarship Committee are not eligible for the Scholarship.
All materials submitted to the Fund will become the property of the Fund and may be used by the Fund. The Fund reserves the right to issue public announcements regarding the Scholarship winners.
What types of projects might be undertaken?
Projects must be with non-profit organizations and must serve New York’s Asian American community. Work with a governmental agency will generally not be eligible. A proposed project should involve legal work and have a supervising attorney. Work with nonprofit organizations that provide legal assistance to the general population will be considered if you can demonstrate that the Asian American community will be benefited. Applicants are responsible for contacting community service organizations and arranging their own projects. Community service organizations that have hosted applicants in the past are described in the attached list. The list is neither exclusive or exhaustive.
What do I need to do regarding a project?
Applicants are responsible for arranging their own projects. The organizations described in the sample list are only provided as examples of places that have hosted students in the past and is not meant to be either exhaustive or definitive. Applicants must be accepted by the organizations before submitting the application for the Scholarship. No preference is given to a project with organizations on the attached list as compared to other projects that otherwise meet the criteria described.
To whom may I direct any questions I might have?
Questions regarding the Community Service Scholarship Program may be directed to Sylvia Fung Chin at schin@whitecase.com.
ASIAN AMERICAN LAW FUND OF NEW YORK
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION - 2010
(Please print or type)
Applicant’s Name: (Mr./Ms./Mrs.): ______________________________________
Social Security Number: _______________________________________________
Address:____________________________________________________________
Telephone: Day: Evening:________________________
E-mail:__________________________
Permanent Address:___________________________________________________
Law School:_________________________________________________________
Address of Law School:________________________________________________
Expected Law Degree & Year of Graduation:_______________________________
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Attach to this application an essay (not to exceed 750 words) addressing the following questions:
• What are the most significant experiences in your background that have shaped and demonstrated your commitment to serving the needs of Asian Pacific Americans?
• What do you hope to learn, accomplish or change through your project this Summer?
• How will you use the experience that you gain from your project this Summer?
• How will you best serve the needs of the Asian American community in your future legal career?
(Applicant: Please note that this essay carries some of the greatest weight in the evaluation of your application.)
2. Submit the following with your application:
(a) a description of the project on which you will be volunteering and the contact information of the person at the community service organization sponsoring the project;
(b) an official copy of your most recent law school transcript (or for a first-year law student attending a law school that does not give first semester grades, a statement from your law school certifying that you are a J.D. degree candidate enrolled at least half-time and in good standing);
(c) your resume;
(d) one (1) letter of recommendation (from a person not related to you);
(e) a description of other scholarships, grants or awards being provided to you in connection with the proposed project and any course credit to be received; and
(f) (optional) a copy of your application to your law school for financial assistance.
3. If you do not submit all of the required information, your application will not be considered by the Asian American Law Fund of New York.
4. Your signature on this form must be notarized.
5. If you are awarded a Scholarship you will be required to submit a photograph.
6. Please note that materials will not be returned and become property of the Fund.
7. Submit this application and all required supporting materials postmarked by April 2, 2010 to:
Asian American Law Fund of New York
c/o Sylvia Fung Chin, Esq.
White & Case LLP
1155 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10036
________________________________________________
I, the undersigned applicant, understand that if I am awarded the Asian American Law Fund Scholarship, I must be enrolled and in good standing at least half-time in an ABA- or AALS-accredited law school in the United States at the time of the award. I certify that I am a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident. I understand that I am expected to volunteer at least 6 weeks, 35 hours per week, on a community service project and to apply my award to payment of my law school tuition. Within one month after completion of my project work, I agree to submit a report of at least 500 words describing my experiences working at my project.
I understand that I must comply with all stated policies and conditions of the Scholarship.
I understand that my failure to comply with all policies and conditions of the Scholarship may result in the forfeiture of the entirety or a portion of the Scholarship. In such event, I will return the entirety or required portion of the Scholarship to the Asian American Law Fund of New York promptly upon written demand. Failure to return these monies may result in collection efforts and legal action against me. To the extent allowable by law, I will be responsible for all costs, fees, and expenses incurred by the Asian American Law Fund of New York in seeking recovery of the award monies.
I understand that members of the immediate families of officers and directors of AABANY, and members of the Board or Scholarship Committee of the Asian American Law Fund of New York are not eligible for the Scholarship. I also understand that all materials submitted to the Asian American Law Fund of New York will become the property of the Fund and that the Fund reserves the right to issue public announcements regarding award winners and to publish their essays and reports.
I authorize the Asian American Law Fund of New York to contact the community service organization with which I am volunteering for verification of my work and to use my photograph, essay and report in any manner in connection with the Scholarship and the Fund.
I certify that all statements and information contained herein and in all application materials submitted by me are true, correct, and accurate to the best of my knowledge. I certify that the essay attached hereto was written solely by me and is my original work.
_______________________________
Signature of Applicant
Subscribed and sworn to or acknowledged
before me this _____ day of ______, 20__:
My commission expires:
Notary Public
SAMPLE LIST OF
COMMUNITY SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS
Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF)
99 Hudson Street, 12th Floor
New York, NY 10013
Email: info@aaldef.org
(212) 966-5932
(212) 966-4303 (fax)
Manhattan Legal Services
90 John Street, Suite 301
New York, New York 10038
Email: tdouglas@lsny.org
(646) 442-3100
(212)- 227-9798 (fax)
MFY Legal Services, Inc.
299 Broadway, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10007
(212) 417-3700
(212) 417-3890 (fax)
Sanctuary for Families
Center for Battered Women’s Legal Services
67 Wall Street, Suite 2211
New York, NY 10005
(212) 349-6009 x252
(212) 566-0344 (fax)
MinKwon Center For Community Action
(Formerly YKASEC)
136-19 41st Avenue, 3rd Floor
Flushing, NY 11355
Email: gracecho@minkwon.org
(718) 460-5600
(718) 445-0032 (fax)
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