Scholarships for Cross Country Runners

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One of the most physically demanding sports is Cross Country Running. It requires a great amount of endurance and dedication to be a top-level runner. Many high school students participate to simply be active and stay in shape. There are those, however, who have a passion for running and want to be the best at their sport.

Those who are good enough may even consider competing at the collegiate level. Many universities offer athletic scholarships to cross country runners. Even a few states are participate in awarding the best of the best financial aid to pay for college.

State Specific

Alaska

Alaska is the northern most state in America. Because of its location there are times when the sun doesn’t set. This means there is daylight 24 hours a day! In the city of Fairbanks, Alaska, once a year they have a race at midnight. How fun is that!? Procedes from this race go toward local charities and the Midnight Sun Run Scholarship. Designed to award students who excel academically and athletically, this scholarship provides $1,000 to four individuals from the Fairbanks area high schools. Students must have a GPA of at least 3.0 and be actively involved in high school-sanctioned cross country or track to be eligible.

Delaware

Cross country runners from New Castle County in Delaware are eligible for the Delaware Open Cross Country Championship Scholarship. Under this program, coaches nominate one male and one female student from their school who have run cross country. These students must have a GPA of at least 2.5 and planning on enrolling full-time in an accredited college. The selection criterion is broken down into 50% financial need, 25% academic achievement, 25% participation in cross country programs. Students who receive this award are given $2,000 in aid to go toward their freshman year in college.

Massachusetts

The Sean Patrick French Memorial Scholarship offers scholarships to students graduating from Chatham High School in Massachusetts. This memorial scholarship is awarded to students who show compassion to all types of people, always have a positive attitude, volunteers in their community, and demonstrates good sportsmanship. To be eligible, students must be seniors at Chatham High School, and they must write a short essay on how they have demonstrated compassion and sensitivity to all different kinds of people in their community. One boy and one girl receive this scholarship each year for $1,000 apiece. The funds are to be used for post-secondary education.

Oregon

At Coos County High School in Oregon, there is offered the Prefontaine Endowed Scholarship. This award is given to senior students who have participated in cross country or track and field programs. In order to be eligible, students must also have maintained a 3.0 GPA while in high school. The Prefontaine Scholarship is for $1,000.

Texas

The Dallas Running Club offers the annual Tal Morrison Scholarship Fund. Awards vary depending on funding, but in 2012 they presented six scholarships totaling $12,000. This fund provides financial aid to students from Dallas-area high schools who have participated in cross country programs at their schools. Only students who are graduating and entering college are eligible for this award.

Vermont

The Green Mountain Athletic Association is the premier running organization in Vermont. They sponsor all sorts of races from short 5k meets to the intense marathon. Each year they offer one scholarship for $750 to students graduating from Northern Vermont high schools. To be eligible, students must be already accepted into an accredited college, have a B average in high school, demonstrate good sportsmanship, and have participated in cross country or track programs in 11th and 12th grades.

Institute-Specific

North Carolina

Western Carolina University is dedicated to giving the most worthy of students the financial assistance they deserve. These students are not simply pupils in a class, but also athletes. Here are a few scholarships these overachieving students are awarded:

• Betty Peele Leadership Fund- women athletes who are leaders on the field, in the classroom, and in their community are eligible to receive this award.
• Sue and Jack Wakeley Scholar-Athlete Award- student athletes in Track, Field, or Cross Country are eligible for this scholarship. Students must have a 3.0 GPA or greater and must have scored points in a Conference meet.

Pennsylvania

At East Stroudsburg University (ESU), there are three available scholarships to students involved in cross country running:

• Krawitz Family Scholarship- the late Krawitz family were huge supporters of ESU Athletics.  In their honor, ESU set up a scholarship for students who run cross country or participate in track and field. Students majoring in the areas of Health Sciences who have a Quality Point Average of 2.7 are eligible for this award.
• Women’s Athletics Endowed Scholarship- full-time, female students who participate on any of ESU’s athletic teams with a minimum QPA of 2.5 are eligible for this award.
• Emma Koehler Smith ’45 Endowed Scholarship- any member of an ESU women’s intercollegiate sports team is eligible for this scholarship. Recipients are chosen by the ESU athletic director.