NYWICI SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT OBLIGATIONS

CONFIRMATION OF ACCEPTANCE

Each recipient must provide the NYWICI Scholarship Committee with written confirmation of acceptance into or continuation of an undergraduate program at an accredited college or university no later than June 15. Scholarship monies will be sent directly to educational institutions.

CODE OF ETHICS

All recipients are expected to maintain professional behavior. Throughout the recipients’ education and professional career, they must abide by the legal, ethical, and moral guidelines of their chosen professions. Recipients must understand and accept that there is a consequence for misconduct and that any actual or perceived impropriety in personal and professional behavior may result in a) the removal of their names from the ranks of NYWICI scholars, b) notification from NYWICI to remove any references to the scholarship in professional credentials, and c) cancelation of NYWICI membership.

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN NEW YORK WOMEN IN COMMUNICATIONS

Scholarship recipients are viewed as the organization’s ambassadors. As such, they will be invited to events throughout the course of the year and are expected to attend as many as possible and to be active participants in the organization (either directly or remotely). Participation can take many forms including, but not limited to, committee membership, writing articles for various publications, serving as event volunteers, inviting nonmember friends to events, spreading the word about our events, and recruiting new members on campus and among friends.

INTERNSHIPS

Recipients of sponsored scholarships that come with internships (or other opportunities) are obligated to fulfill those internships as part of the terms of acceptance. The scholarship-internship package is inseparable. In addition, recipients must comply with all requirements of the opportunity and demonstrate professionalism in dress and behavior while doing so.

We understand that a recipient may previously have applied for other internships or study-abroad opportunities and receive an offer after accepting a scholarship from NYWICI. The temptation is to want to accept the scholarship but postpone or not complete the internship that comes with it in order to take advantage of the second opportunity. We do not permit this. Once a recipient has accepted a scholarship and internship, we consider that to be a contract with the scholarship sponsor. Recipients need to understand that their behavior reflects on NYWICI and has an impact on the NYWICI’s relationship with scholarship sponsors, which are counting on recipients to fulfill their internships and to do so in a professional, timely manner. Scholarship recipients who fail to fulfill their obligations (unless there is a compelling reason, such as illness or a family emergency, and the scholarship sponsor agrees to a deferral) have a negative impact on NYWICI’s ability to attract new, as well as sustain existing, sponsor relationships.

CHANGE OF STATUS

Recipients are required to notify the NYWICI Scholarship Committee in writing of any changes of school or home address and other contact information, enrollment status, deferral of an internship agreed upon with the sponsor, or other relevant information.

COURSE OF STUDY

While the course of study is left to the student, the recipient must major in a communications-related field and take sufficient credits each semester to qualify as a full-time undergraduate/graduate student during the academic year for which the scholarship is awarded.

CONDITIONS FOR TRANSFER

Although scholarship recipients are expected to continue at the same college or university, the Scholarship Committee will consider transferring a scholarship to another institution. The student must provide the NYWICI Scholarship Committee with written notice, in advance, of intent to transfer and to continue majoring in a communications field, provide evidence of good standing at the college/university attended, and submit evidence of acceptance at the new college/university.

INTERRUPTION OF STUDIES

A recipient may request that the award be held if the student’s studies are interrupted by prolonged illness, an accident, or other extenuating circumstances (to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis). Any such interruption must be documented in writing and reported promptly to the NYWICI Scholarship Committee for approval. It is the student’s responsibility to notify these same individuals of intent to resume full-time study so that arrangements can be made for reinstatement of the award. If the interruption is medical, it must be documented in writing by a physician.

PHOTO RELEASE

Recipients must authorize NYWICI to use photographs of them and an approved bio in promotional materials, including web materials.