YOU CAN HELP!
SPONSOR A SCHOLAR
The Smith Foundation offers many services designed to promote educational opportunities and academic success to help scholars excel in their pursuit of a higher education and to aid in the transition into the workforce.
Today a college degree is no longer sufficient to ensure that a scholar is able to ob
tain a rewarding and financially stable career. Scholars must graduate with good grades, leadership skills, professional business skills and obtain resume and personal career building accolades to successfully make the transition from high school, college and gainful employment.
To maintain our scholars' grades, each entering freshman is required to attend academic tutoring and counseling to promote self esteem and problems solving skills that enable them to focus on their education during their college career. This counseling is aimed at helping to reduce the anxiety connected with the separation from their families and friends and inevitable guilt that results when these family providers make their education a priority.
The Smith Foundation hosts a boot camp seminar for freshmen students. This seminar focuses on real life issues associated with college. Class registration, scheduling, professors, study skills, dorm life, majors, class selection, meal plans and more. Upper classmen participate in the bootcamp and help the new scholars by sharing experiences, offering advice and answering questions. Each new scholar receives a "Dorm Pack" containing necessary supplies for their dorm room including, but not limited to, comforters, sheets, pillows, towels, personal and grooming care items, laundry, tote bags, back packs and class supplies.
Each scholar is assigned a personal mentor at bootcamp. This mentor is both a surrogate parent, drill sergeant and friend. The mentor is available at all times to help the scholar navigate academic red tape, register, obtain books, dorm room supplies, and meal plan. Mentors help scholars deal with test taking, guidance and provide a life line for emergencies, illness and personal crisis and so much more.
Our upper classmen attend a fall seminar focused on the transition from college to graduate school, professional school and the workforce. Scholars are assisted in resume' preparation, job search skills, interviewing, professional dress and even business dining etiquette. Students are required to participate in mock interviews and receive critique and instruction on improving their business skills. Each student is provided a suit, which is fitted and altered, briefcases, shoes, shirts, ties and belt.
Scholars are provided portfolios, black briefcases and paper stock for resumes and "Thank You" letters.
Scholars participate in cultural events together, including attending a Broadway Show production in Birmingham. Many scholars also take advantage and receive funding for summer internships, study abroad and volunteer or summer mission work. These programs are unique. What began as a plan for financial assistance has become a full program of hands on services and personal attention that not only increases the retention rate of "First in Family Scholars", but provides them with tools and guidance to complete their transition from their economic disadvantage and emotionally challenged past to successful, productive and emotionally stable leaders in Alabama communities.
If you would like to assist one of our amazing scholars, please help by "Sponsoring a Scholar". Your contribution will be placed in a separate scholar support fund. 100% of your contribution will be used to supply the educational assistance, program or item you choose for a scholar.
Our administrative system includes high school student contact with publication and receipt of applications from hundreds of deserving Alabama students. Please take advantage of the opportunity to contribute 100% of your gift directly to the needs of a scholar. There is no reason to recreate a system when you can utilize our existing program to immediately begin making a difference in the lives of Alabama's young adults.
Our Foundation is classified as a private operating Foundation, a status very few organizations achieve. Because the Smith Foundation provides its own selection process, utilizing over 125 volunteers, we reach those students in need and provide programs based upon the actual needs of the students.
If you would like to sponsor a scholar, please contact our Administrator at any time. You may select your own scholar from our semi finalists or have the Board of Trustees make the selection for you.
If you want to help by providing a program or items, please see the attached list and estimated cost. We do ask that monetary contributions - other than "rolls of quarters for laundry" - not be made directly to scholars. Unfortunately, due to the economic situation of many scholars, cash gifts, even when given to a student for a specific purpose (such as purchase of a laptop), have been utilized for other purposes, including bail money for one scholar's family member. To ensure appropriate use of your gift and compliance with IRS rules required for contributors to receive a tax deducible donation, we request that all benefactors utilize our Scholar Assistance Fund.
Thank you for your support, your generosity allows the Foundation to provide more services that ensure these scholars have the tools and supplies necessary to achieve their goals.