Bentley-City Year “give a year” Scholarship Program
The Bentley-City Year “give a year” Scholarship Program provides selected Bentley students with scholarships for spending a year serving as a City Year Corps Member. As tutors, mentors, and role models, you and other idealistic leaders will make a difference in the lives of children, and transform schools and neighborhoods in 19 U.S. locations.
Through service with City Year, Corps Members build on their own strengths and assets, and learn new skills as they achieve their service and professional goals. Clear guidance, constructive training and coaching, and feedback are provided often so that all Corps Members have the greatest opportunity to succeed. Each Corps Member is assigned to a team and learns about the team's specific service focus during Basic Training Academy. Training will be provided to prepare the team to deliver that service effectively. In some cases, Corps Members are trained by the school system in which they work.
As a “give a year” scholar, you will have the experience of gaining new insights into your own life and the lives of others. You will develop and refine your interpersonal skills. You will apply your own experiences and knowledge base to the task of change in America. And you will bring these experiences back to Bentley enriching not only your own education, but also preparing you for a role as a civic leader.
How does “give a year” work?
Bentley undergraduate students who apply for and are awarded a “give a year” scholarship will receive a $20,000 credit toward their senior year Bentley tuition. Bentley graduate students who apply and are awarded the scholarship will receive the $20,000 tuition credit for their graduate study. Note that graduate students must be enrolled on a full-time basis in the McCallum Graduate School. In either case, your “give a year” service must be performed before the scholarship is awarded. All “give a year” scholars must apply for and be accepted as a Corps Member by City Year as well.
In addition to receiving the $20,000 tuition credit from Bentley, “give a year” scholars will receive a $5,350 education award from AmeriCorps. Additionally, as City Year Corps Members, you will receive a weekly stipend to defray living expenses during your service year, health insurance, deferment of any college loan payments during your service year, an orientation and training program at the start of service, weekly leadership development sessions throughout your service year, a uniform, a cell phone, and a public transit pass.
Where to get more information?
At this point you probably still have more questions than answers. So let’s get you started.
In addition to reading the FAQs that follow, you should visit the City Year website at www.cityyear.org to learn more about the life and work of a City Year Corps Member and to obtain the City Year application form. In addition, you will also need to complete the Bentley “give a year” Scholarship application form at www.bentley.edu/giveayear.
Finally, if you’d like to discuss the program in person, you should make an appointment to see Prof. Salimbene in the Bentley Service-Learning Center, Morison 101, fsalimbene@bentley.edu, x2462.
Frequently Asked Questions
| Q. | What criteria are used by Bentley in awarding the “give a year” scholarship? |
| A. | The first criterion is that you are accepted by City Year as a Corps Member. After that, Bentley considers your prior record of service, your academic record, letters of recommendation, and materials submitted with your City Year application. |
| Q. | Bentley students who perform a year of service with City Year are also eligible to receive service-learning credit for their year of service. What does that mean? |
| A. | Students will be credited with 40 hours of service toward the Bentley Service-Learning Certificate. To receive the certificate at graduation, students during their Bentley career must complete 120 hours of service, at least 60 of which must be course-related hours and up to 60 of which can be non-course related hours. The 40 hours will be applied toward the 60 non-course related hours. For more information about the certificate program, visit www.bentley.edu/service-learning/service-learning-certificate.cfm |
| Q. | Does City Year provide housing during the year of service? |
| A. | No. City Year can, however, get you started in finding housing through its network of leads at its regional offices. |
| Q. | What locations are available for my year of service in the “give a year” program? |
| A. | Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbia SC, Columbus OH, Detroit, Little Rock AR, Los Angeles, Baton Rouge/New Orleans LA, Miami, Milwaukee, New Hampshire, New York City, Philadelphia, Rhode Island, San Antonio TX, San Jose CA, Seattle, and Washington DC. |
| Q. | I’m interested in the “give a year” program only if I’m accepted into Bentley and receive a “give a year” scholarship. Can I withdraw my City Year application or acceptance if I don’t receive a scholarship? |
| A. | Yes; nevertheless, if you are fundamentally not interested in performing a year of service as a City Year Corps member, you should reconsider your application for the “give a year” program. |
| Q. | Are “give a year” scholarships available in any other configuration than one-time awards of $20,000? |
| A. | No. |
| Q. | Will my participation in the “give a year” program delay my graduation from Bentley? |
| A. | Yes. The “give a year” program is meant to be a year of community service and, thus, a year away from your studies. By taking a year away, you will move your graduation back a year. |
| Q. | When can I do my service year? |
| A. | You may do your City Year service year between any academic years of your choosing. As a current student you may perform your year of service between freshman and sophomore, between sophomore and junior, or between junior and senior. If you are in the five-year program, you may choose to perform your service between your senior year and your fifth year. |
| Q. |
I am a senior. If I do my year of service after I graduate Bentley, am I eligible to receive the $20,000. |
|
A. |
No. The only way that a graduating senior can take advantage of the “give a year” scholarship is if the senior returns to Bentley after the City Year service as a full-time graduate student. Under that circumstance, the student can then use the scholarship to pay graduate tuition. |
| Q. | Can I use the $20,000 for anything other than tuition at Bentley? |
|
A. |
The scholarship is applied to your student account and covers your charges at Bentley, including expenses other than tuition such as the laptop fee, room, board, and the student activity fee. It can also be used to cover non-billed college expenses such as books and supplies. The only restriction is that it must be used at Bentley. |
| Q. | Is the scholarship a “need-based” scholarship? |
| A. | This award is not based on financial need. It is based on your completion of service in the City-Year program. |
| Q. | What impact would the scholarship have on other scholarships or financial aid that I receive from Bentley? |
| A. | Regardless of whether you have other Bentley financial aid that is need-based or non-need-based, the City Year scholarship, along with your other financial aid, cannot exceed the total cost of attendance at Bentley. Need-based aid will be reduced if this scholarship would cause your financial aid to exceed the cost of attendance. If you have no need-based aid but have an academic scholarship, the City Year scholarship would be reduced if your combined awards exceed the cost of attendance. The Office of Financial Assistance can give you information specific to your situation. |
