How should the JREF scholarships work?

[athon]

I learned recently that 'scholarships' are slightly different between Australian and the US. Here, scholarships are often associated with obligations towards studying something. For instance, I can (and have considered) apply for a scholarship to continue post-graduate studies into education. The groups offering it have vested interests in the work of such scholars, hence why they offer them. Likewise, there are companies which will give you a scholarship to attain a particular science degree in the hope you'll work for them in the end. Some will basically pay your way with a contractual obligation that says you'll give them at least a couple of years of work at the end.

Apparently, unless I've misunderstood something, the JREF scholarships have no obligation to be used to study. They are there to 'encourage' you to go to school or university, but if I understand correctly, you can win a scholarship and blow it all on women and booze if you want.

Should there be more to it? I know to many this comes across as rather draconian and authoritative, but if I put up scholarship money I'd want some way of ensuring it was paying for something, rather than being offered merely as an incentive. In other parts of the world it's a given that if you don't use the scholarship money for studying what you won it for, you're under contract to repay it.

Wouldn't it make more sense to put up money for students interested in looking into ways to reach more people with critical thinking measures? Perhaps helping people study skepticism, or even just studying some form of science, education or communication?

Athon

[Geek Goddess]

The scholarships I received in school required me to maintain a certain grade level, and were paid by the scholarship organization directly to my university. I did not personally get a check. My tuition and textbook bills were paid by draft against the amount I had been awarded. My son received a scholarship for placing highly on the Academic Decathlon state finals, and the check was sent to the university he specified, to be applied towards his tuition bills. I believe the National Merit Scholarships are likewise done that way.

Some organizations make money available to universities in the forms of scholarships, where the university itself selects the student and administers the funds. For instance, there was a scholarship available that a private individual had set up, which required that the recipient be a mechanical engineer student with a 3.8 or better GPA, who was also in the marching band. The university accepted applications, and made the selection.

Corporations donate scholarship money, and frequently require the recipient work for them during summers or for a specified time after graduation.

Some scholarships require that you study specific programs, or belong to specific organizations, and report back each semester.

Others just send a check, apparently.

[athon]

Ok, thanks GG. That sounds somewhat like what I've understood.

I'm sure variations exist - even here. However I question whether it's more useful to a group's ultimate goals to establish some outcomes they must accomplish in order to receive the scholarship.

Athon

[UnrepentantSinner]

I think you made it perfectly clear in your OP, but just in case there are some people who scan it or only read the thread topic, can you clarify that you're referring to JREF scholarships as opposed to TAM "scholarships" which are meant to fun attendence of the latter.

As far as JREF scholarships go, regardless of what particular field of study recipients are persuing, I am happy with them receiving the money if they are committed skeptics who try and inculcate skepticism into whatever field they wind up in, be it physics, nursing, anthropology, finance, automotive repair or art.

[fuelair]

I think you made it perfectly clear in your OP, but just in case there are some people who scan it or only read the thread topic, can you clarify that you're referring to JREF scholarships as opposed to TAM "scholarships" which are meant to fun attendence of the latter.

As far as JREF scholarships go, regardless of what particular field of study recipients are persuing, I am happy with them receiving the money if they are committed skeptics who try and inculcate skepticism into whatever field they wind up in, be it physics, nursing, anthropology, finance, automotive repair or art.
And the have certainly been things to be skeptical about in all of those fields - and many others

[athon]

Oh, I agree. And the process seems to be slanted towards giving the scholarships towards those people, so I'm hardly worried that the money is simply being thrown at any ol' Joe who happens to ask for it.

I'm often accused of implying that the JREF is doing nothing for education, and then given examples such as 'but they have scholarships' and 'they moved TAM' etc. These are certainly good things, but they seem to stop short of the mark. Being skeptical and going to school is a good thing; going to school to research or study something which can feed back into skeptical communication and education is better.

Athon

[firepile]

As one of the scholarship winners from last year, I can say with certainty that the JREF money helped me in very specific educational goals. (It might be cool if the Foundation kept tabs on the scholarship winners - that might serve to re-assure people that the money wasn't spent on booze and hookers, and at the same time it would be a bit of an incentive to be sure we use the money wisely since we'll have to report back). Regardless, part of the scholarship application includes an evaluation of what you *intend* to use the money for, which I can only assume is factored into the awarding criteria.

Anyway, the JREF money helped me pay my tuition this last year so I could work on writing my dissertation. I'm defending over the summer, and I've already accepted a tenure-track job in Cognitive Science (building a new department for a liberal arts college here in the US). It's pretty rare in my field to get a tenure-track job before defending one's dissertation, and I really think the scholarships I got this year helped me work even harder, knowing I had several organizations with their eggs in my basket, so to speak. Having the JREF award on my vita gives me a certain sense of pride AND responsibility to do the best job I can - I realize my work reflects on JREF to some degree, and I'm proud of that.

Hope this perspective helps somewhat! :)

Cheers,
Robin