Scholarship Program

Public Safety Scholarship Fund

The Greater St. Cloud Public Safety Foundation offers scholarships for students seeking a career as a First Responder.

The Greater St. Cloud Public Safety Foundation’s Scholarship Fund was started in 2016 with the intention of annually awarding scholarships to young people who wanted to pursue careers in public safety fields (law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services). This fund was formed to help address the declining numbers of applicants pursuing careers in these critical positions within our community. In addition, the scholarship program is an effort to assist our local jurisdiction in recruiting a talented workforces that represent the diversity and makeup of our three-county community.

The Scholarship Fund consists of both Annual Scholarships and an Endowment Component. The long-term goal is to build an endowment large enough to fund ongoing scholarships into perpetuity. The Scholarship Funds are maintained at the Central Minnesota Community Foundation.

In 2019, the Nicole Van Heel Memorial Scholarship was established as part of this initiative and was set aside specifically for individuals interested in emergency medical services and who planned to attend the St. Cloud Technical and Community College. Nicole had been a member of the Gold Cross Ambulance service.

Applications are accepted from graduating seniors within the three counties the GSCPSF serves and past grant recipients in the spring of each year with a final selection made in mid to late April.

Scholarship Details:

  • Eligibility:
    • High School Senior, College Student or Non-Traditional Student
    • From Benton, Stearns or Sherburne County in Minnesota
    • GPA: 2.5 or better
    • 2 or 4 year program at a community college or university
    • Certificate/Major/Area of Study:
      • Criminal Justice
      • First Responder programs including Police, Fire Fighters or EMT
  • Online application process is through the Central Minnesota Community Foundation website. We have a simplified process for our application:
    • Financial Need: Just answer the following questions:
      • Will you be financing your post high school education on your own?
      • Will you be receiving partial assistance from family or other sources? If so, how much?
    • Essay Question: In a few paragraphs answer this question:
      • Why have you decided to pursue a career in public safety?

Apply For Scholarship

Scholarship application is through the Central Minnesota Community Foundation's website. 
Application
The Greater St. Cloud Public Safety Foundation Scholarship Fund is funded by donations from: 
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