Women's jewelry Association student scholarship

Dear Fellow Metalsmiths,

I am writing you regarding the Women’s Jewelry Association’s Student
Scholarship. For those of you who are not familiar with our group,
we are a national organization that is committed to empowering women
in the international jewelry, watch and related industries. We offer
a student scholarship annually to any female student enrolled in a
full time jewelry or watch related program. Last year we were able
to award $14,000 in scholarships to nine students. We have extended
the deadline this year from May 1st to May 10th to allow to hopefully
get some more applicants from your programs. Please encourage your
students, friends, or peers to apply for this fabulous opportunity.
I am attaching a copy of the application, but if you have trouble
with that, please feel free to go to our website
www.womensjewelry.org.

Thanks & Good luck!
Lisa Slovis Mandel

Is this available to men and women?

Craig

    Is this available to men and women? 

No, sorry, the scholarships are only available to women. There are
other scholarships for both men and women from other associations.

The following is from:

Financial Aid Opportunities - 2005

  To empower both its female members  and students in the
  jewelry, watch and related industries, the  Women's Jewelry
  Association offers two types of educational financial  aid. 

  Member Grants  are generally up to $500  in value and can be
  used by members to pay for any aspect of  further education
  during the year beginning August 1, 2005. Money  for the
  member grants program (and the scholarship program) is  raised
  from the proceeeds of a silent auction held during the  WJA's
  Award for Excellence celebration as well as from generous 
  contributions from companies and individuals who support WJA's
   mission. In addition, several chapters around the country add
  to the member grant fund as a result of their own local
  fundraising  efforts so that more of their members can benefit
  from an educational  grant. In 2004, WJA awarded $14,900 in
  grants to 30 members. 

  More about the grant  program can be found here. 

  Student Scholarships in varying amounts starting at $500  are
  available to strudents (including WJA members) who are
  enrolled  in fine jewelry and watch design courses in the
  United States  with classes between January 1 and December 31,
  2005. In 2004,  WJA awarded $14,000 in scholarships to nine
  students. 

  WJA STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES 

  The Women's Jewelry Association  is pleased to announce its
  Scholarship Program for 2005. WJA  is a national organization
  that is committed to empowering women  in the international
  jewelry, watch and related industries. 

  Every year more women find opportunities  to build successful
  careers and flourish in this vital and very  exciting
  industry. 

  WJA is committed to encouraging  talented students and helping
  their studies in fine jewelry and  watch design, and to this
  end, WJA is offering scholarships in  varying amounts,
  starting at $500.00. WJA encourages you to take  advantage of
  this scholarship opportunity. 

  Candidates must be female students  enrolled in fine jewelry
  and watch design courses in the U. S.  A. 

  To enroll a candidate must submit  the following (all exactly
  as described on the Application form): 

            * WJA  Scholarship Application 
            * Two written references 
            * A short essay 
            * Three (3) slides of recent work, ranked 
            * Two (2) written references 
            * A self-addressed protective envelope with correct
            postage for return of slides 

  THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT  OF THE APPLICATION IS MAY 10, 2005. 

  The application should be sent  to: Women's Jewelry
  Association, Inc Scholarship Committee 373 B Route 46 West
  Building E, Suite 215 Fairfield, NJ 07004 

  Scholarship recipients will be  selected by a panel of judges
  from the jewelry industry. Scholarships  will be announced by
  late June or early July of 2005. 

Elaine
Elaine Luther
Metalsmith, Certified PMC Instructor
http://www.CreativeTextureTools.com
Hard to Find Tools for Metal Clay

I wonder…? Are you a 501C-3, charitable tax free organization?

        Is this available to men and women? 

No, sorry, the scholarships are only available to women.

Yet another example of discrimination - it will be refreshing to one
day find something which is only available to white heterosexual
males - now the most discriminated against group in western society!

Best Wishes
Ian
Ian W. Wright
Sheffield UK

    I wonder....? Are you a 501C-3, charitable tax free
organization? 

By “you” do you mean WJA? I suppose they are, but I’m sure you can
find that out by looking at their website. I do not speak for WJA.

And yes, not for profits are allowed to favor certain groups.

If you remember looking for scholarships for college you may have
found yourself wishing that you were in fact descended from a
veteran of the war of 1812, who lost an eye and three fingers, who
then married a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Or that your father worked for IBM for 25 years and also has
heritage from Norway.

Scholarship requirements can be picky and particular. It’s their
money, they can do that.

Look hard enough and you’ll find one that favors you. Scholarships
for jewelry are few and far between, but with great dedication,
research and entering a lot of contests (and winning) you could fund
your jewelry education.

Elaine
Elaine Luther
Metalsmith, Certified PMC Instructor
http://www.CreativeTextureTools.com
Hard to Find Tools for Metal Clay

it will be refreshing to one day find something which is only
available to white heterosexual males - now the most discriminated
against group in western society! 

For countless generations clubs, societies and organizations have
been limited to white, Christian males, especially in the British
Empire. Now that the rest of us (not included in the above) are
finding our voice in society, I find it amusing that you claim
discrimination. Wait one thousand years and then complain! In the
meantime, buck up and deal with it!!

Humorously,
Jackie