The Organization of Black Maritime Graduates (OBMG) was founded in 1994, and has granted over 80 maritime scholarships since its inception. The nonprofit organization was formed by Captain Robert Cook and five other SUNY Maritime College graduates to help minority students at Maritime College fund their higher education.

The scholarships are awarded each year at a dinner held in February, in honor of Black History Month. Awardees are selected based on their academic merit and financial need. OBMG also provides these students with guidance and mentoring, both during college and after graduation.

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The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race that is the most well-known and prestigious of the cycling tournaments known as the “Grand Tours.” The other two Grand Tours are the Giro d’Italia, held annually in May, and the Vuelta a Espana, held in August and September annually in Spain.

The Tour de France lasts three weeks and covers approximately 2,200 miles (3,600 kilometers) throughout France and some bordering countries.

The race is divided into day-long stages and the individual finish times from each stage are totaled to determine the overall winner at the conclusion of the race. The last leg of the race, since 1975, has been along the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Read the rest of this entry »

Western Governors University is hosting a video scholarship contest.

I personally think the WGU’s, “A Smarter Way to Learn” television advertisement is really funny, especially when the woman in the desk knocks over everything at the dinner table.  Have a look:

But maybe you believe you could produce an advertisement that is better.

Well here is your shot.

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Adam Wheeler: Image Via CNN.com

Seemingly motivated and on-track for a bright future, 23-year-old Harvard student Adam Wheeler appeared to be the ideal candidate for all of the scholarships, grants and internships he had applied to and received.

But when Wheeler applied for the Rhodes and Fulbright scholarships in September of 2009, the professor reviewing the materials noticed his work appeared to be plagiarized. The professor alerted officials and they began an investigation, which found that Wheeler had not only falsified transcripts and other documents, but also had submitted perfect but fake SAT scores that contributed to his initial acceptance to Harvard.

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Anna Wintour

Vogue magazine’s editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, headlined the sixteenth annual president’s lecture series at the Pratt Institute on Monday, April 19, 2010. President Thomas F. Schutte described the event as “a rare opportunity to see and hear from one of the industry’s most influential and renowned figures.”

Wintour presented a lecture on the contributions the late Irving Penn’s photographs gave to the legendary iconic fashion magazine over the last few decades. Wintour advised students to not disregard arts’ importance and influence on their articles. She noted that photographs can transform a simple media piece into a canvas of a much more influential presentation.

Fashion, journalism and design students gawked in awe as one of the most influential media and fashion iconic legends passed along her personal antecdotes of her experience of working with Penn and her advice on how to establish a balance of professionalism and creativity.

Following Wintour’s presentation, Vogue European editor-at-large, Hamish Bowles, held a question and answer session from students. Questions ranged from advice on how to acquire internships to Wintour’s opinion of the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s (CFDA) efforts on education and professional development.
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There is no argument that students work exceptionally hard on a day-to-day basis, from their scholastic workload, to extracurricular sports and clubs, to part time jobs and somehow, they even manage to find time to actively volunteer in their local communities.

That’s a lot! And one company has found a way to motivate students to keep working hard so that their minds and bodies are healthy, fit and strong.

No Excuses Wear athletic workout apparel specializes in creating workout clothes that brazenly motivates you to get in shape. Recently known for their support from current and former NBC’s Biggest Loser contestants, the company is now seeking to generate college scholarships, one purchase at a time, all in the name of healthy and active living.

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Dion Thomas, 30, a recipient of the Oklahoma City Community Foundation program. Image via The Associated Press

It has already been 15 years since the tragedy of the Oklahoma City bombing, which destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal building on April 19, 1995.

According to the Associated Press, more than 200 children had parents killed or disabled when an anti-government conspirator’s truck bomb launched the largest domestic-incurred terrorist attack in the country’s history.

In an effort to remember and honor the victims that were killed on that day, and to provide support for those children whose parents died in the attack, administrators of the Oklahoma City Community Foundation created a scholarship program for the children affected by tragedy. To date, the foundation has provided almost $6 million for tuition, housing and other educational costs.

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Image Via Seinfeld Family Foundation

It’s better to give than to receive, and for these well-to-do celebrities, giving back to their alma maters or other deserving college students is one way they’re spending their money. It’s not as glitzy as a new Rolls, a yacht in St. Tropez, or a closet larger than most homes, but it is often greatly needed by students hard at work to pursue their own dreams.

David Letterman

Eligibility: Available at his alma mater, Ball State University in Indiana, to telecommunications juniors and seniors.

Requirements: Submit a written, audio or video project. Creativity is valued over academics; no GPA requirements.

Scholarship Amount: $10,000 for first prize

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I probably drink at least three cans of soda every day, and I try to make at least one of them a Coca-Cola. Why? Well, since I am an advertising major, it could be because they always have those cute polar bear commercials around the holidays. But that’s not my motivation. I drink Coke because a percentage of every Coca-Cola purchase in the past 21 years goes towards helping education programs in local communities.

The Coca-Cola Scholars program helps over 1,400 college students every year and awards more than $3,000,000 every year in scholarships. High school seniors can apply for a four-year scholarship to the school of their choice; there are 250 scholarships awarded annually. Applications are accepted between August 1 and October 31 every year. Semi-finalists are selected in November, and finalists are selected in April. Of the 250 scholars who are selected to receive awards, 50 are designated National Scholars and receive $20,000 to offset college expenses; the other 200 scholars receive $10,000.

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If you have been in college for a few years, I’m sure you have noticed that tuition keeps getting just a little bit more expensive every year. I know I sure have noticed it. It seems like colleges keep finding some reason to increase tuition and fees every year. I thought maybe I was just being unrealistic, but unfortunately, I wasn’t.

A report released by College Board on October 20, 2009 showed that college tuition and fees have indeed been increasing. This year, public universities have raised annual tuition and fees by 6.5 percent. That means that the average student is paying $7,020 per school year! That’s quite a hefty price, but not nearly as bad as what private school students are paying. Although the average annual tuition for private universities only increased by 4.4 percent since last year, these students are still paying $36,273 per year.

Why are college tuition and fees skyrocketing when we are in the middle of a national, economic recession?

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