Ithaca College

Park Scholar Program

The Award

Rising Junior Awards

Important Dates and Deadlines

November 2, 2009: Intent to apply form available online and in the Park Scholar center (Park 326)

Intent to Apply Form (.pdf)

November 30, 2009: Intent to apply form complete and on file. Fax, mail, and in-person submissions will be accepted.

Please note: Students who fail to submit the intent to apply form may still apply for the Rising Junior awards, but we strongly encourage all prospective applicants to complete and submit this brief form.

December 15, 2009: Applications available online and in the Park Scholar center (Park 326)

February 1, 2010: All application materials due

Please note: Electronic submission of materials is strongly preferred (but not required). Send to psjuniorawards@ithaca.edu.

By March 31, 2010: Finalists notified

Early April 2010: Interviews scheduled

Application Materials

Applicants must submit

  • a completed application form
  • essays (number to be determined)
  • resume
  • three (and no more than three) letters of recommendation
  • an official college transcript (which students must request from the Ithaca College Office of the Registrar, indicating that it be sent to the Park Scholar Program)

A limited number of Park Scholar Awards will be offered each year to students already enrolled in the Park School. Students will apply during the spring of their sophomore year, and will enter the program during the fall of their junior year. These awards will be made in addition to those offered annually to first-year students.

As with the existing Park Scholar Award, these two-year awards (for a student's junior and senior years) will not only cover the full cost of attendance at Ithaca College (tuition, room, and board), but also include stipends for living expenses, books, and a one-time purchase of a personal computer. In addition, award recipients will receive every benefit and opportunity offered all Park scholars.

There are four awards available for the class of 2012. To be eligible for the award, students must

  • have completed three semesters as a full-time student in the Roy H. Park School of Communications, majoring in cinema and photography, communication management and design, integrated marketing communications, journalism, or television-radio; 

  • have at least a 3.5 cumulative grade point average (GPA) as of the February 1 application deadline;

  • and demonstrate a dynamic combination of academic excellence, dedication to community service, strong leadership skills, extracurricular participation, and commitment to the field of communications.


As with the existing Park Scholar Award, transfer students and international students are not eligible to apply. Due to previous limitations, film, photography and visual arts majors will become eligible for the award with the class of 2013.

Award recipients will be expected to meet the same program requirements as current Park scholars:

  • continued full-time enrollment in the Park School in one of the eligible degree programs outlined above;

  • a 3.5 cumulative GPA throughout the term of the scholarship;

  • strong involvement in community service and extracurricular activities;

  • participation in Park scholar academic programming and enrichment activities;

  • and maintain good judicial standing.

In addition, recipients of a Park Scholar Rising Junior Award may study off campus for a maximum of one semester during their four semesters in the Park Scholar Program.

For more information, please contact:

Matthew J. Fee, Ph.D.
Director, Park Scholar Program
Ithaca College
953 Danby Road
Ithaca, NY 14850-7000
(607) 274-3089 or (607) 274-7342
(607) 274-7095 (fax)
psjuniorawards@ithaca.edu