Two Catholic organizations are among those who provide scholarships to deserving students to further their education: the Catholic Daughters of the Americas and the Knights of Columbus.

The Vermont State Court of the Catholic Daughters offers one $1,000 scholarship each year. The award is presented to a high school senior who is planning to attend college, trade school or university in the fall following high school graduation. Applicants must be a child, grandchild, niece or nephew of a member of the Catholic Daughters who has been a court member in good standing a minimum of two years.

Scholarship Information and applications are sent to the nine courts in Vermont. The scholarship chair in each court gives the applications to members upon their request. A committee of three qualified judges determines the winning applicant.

“The Catholic Daughters are firmly committed to supporting education in all its various forms,” said Sue Buswell, Catholic Daughter Vermont state education chairperson. “We recognize the need to become better-informed citizens and Catholics. Our scholarships are for young people that they might enter college in the pursuit of accomplishing their goals.”

In addition to encouraging students to apply for the Vermont State Scholarship, the National CDA scholarship and the Father Bachmann Graduate Scholarship, many courts have their own scholarships. Awards range from $250 to $750 per individual winning applicant. Applications and information come through the education chairperson in each of the nine courts.

The Vermont Knights of Columbus annual Scholastic Achievement Awards Program offers five $1,000 scholarships. To qualify an applicant must be a son or daughter of a Knight of Columbus in good standing in a Vermont council. Sons or daughters of deceased members also are eligible if their father was in good standing at the time of his death. An applicant may be a member of the Knights of Columbus or a member of a Columbian Squires Circle in the jurisdiction of Vermont and a high school senior qualifying to graduate in June.

Applications may be obtained from the guidance offices of local high schools, local Knights of Columbus councils, Catholic parishes or members of the Scholastic Achievement Committee or state officers.

In addition, many local councils offer scholarships, and the state council offers three scholarships to seminarians.

“We are a fraternal, family-centered organization, and this is one way we can support the families of our members,” said James Candon, chairman of the Scholastic Achievement Committee.

The national Knights of Columbus also awards scholarships.

—Originally published in the Winter 2018 issue of Vermont Catholic magazine.