The UW Alumni Reunion, Class Gifts & Spence Scholarships are sponsored by the University of Washington alumni classes of 1954, 1957, and 1962 in honor of their 50th class reunions, the UW 50th Reunion Student Assistance Fund, the UW Class of 1955 Endowment Community Service Award, UW Class of 2016, Impact and Diversity Endowed Scholarship and the Alan R. Spence Transfer Student Support Fund. 

While each endowment has slightly different eligibility, purposes, and requirements, current UW undergraduates submit one UW Alumni Reunion, Class Gifts & Spence Scholarships online application to be considered for any of these awards. This scholarship application process covers all seven scholarships.

Before applying, please read carefully about each scholarship, making sure there is at least one of these scholarships you are eligible to be considered for, and to inform the crafting of a competitive application. Details about each endowment are listed here:

• Class of 1954 Endowed Scholarship: http://expd.uw.edu/expo/scholarships/1954 
• Class of 1955 Endowed Community Service Award: https://new.expo.uw.edu/expo/scholarships/1955 
• Class of 1957 Scholar Award: https://expd.uw.edu/expo/scholarships/1957 
• Class of 1962 Endowed Scholarship: https://new.expo.uw.edu/expo/scholarships/1962 
• Class of 2016 Impact and Diversity Endowed Scholarship: https://new.expo.uw.edu/expo/scholarships/2016 
• UW 50th Reunion Student Assistance Fund: https://new.expo.uw.edu/expo/scholarships/reunion 
• Alan R. Spence Transfer Student Support Fund: https://new.expo.uw.edu/expo/scholarships/spence 

• freshman
• sophomore
• junior
• senior

• US Citizen
• Permanent Resident
• International or Other Visa Status
• Undocumented

To apply, complete the online application for the UW Alumni Reunion and Class Gift Scholarships, which includes seven different scholarships offered by the Class of 1954, Class of 1955, Class of 1957, Class of 1962, Class of 2016, UW 50th Reunion Student Assistance Fund and the Alan R. Spence Transfer Student Support Fund. The application will open in mid-February 2024 at https://expo.uw.edu/expo/apply/729.

The online application will require:

• A personal statement of 800 words or less describing extra-curricular activities, co-curricular activities, work and/or other forms of experiential learning (opportunities for learning outside of class through study abroad, research, community engagement, volunteering, etc.), and their relevance to your academic, career and/or professional goals.
• If you are NOT receiving need-based financial aid AND are working full-time or part-time to finance your education, please tell us about your work experience during school here (and please make sure work experience is included on your resume). (Max 300 words)
• If you entered UW as a transfer student from a WA community college, share with us how your community college experience has enriched your educational journey and your experience at UW. (Max 300 words)
• A copy of your most recent curriculum vitae or resume (a listing of work experiences, service, research, honors, awards, scholarships, etc.). There is no page limit on this document. Please make sure it is both concise and thorough. Get resources to build or strengthen your resume or CV.
• One letter of recommendation from a faculty member (UW or community college), adviser (UW or community college), supervisor from an extracurricular or experiential learning activity or work experience, or other mentor who knows you well. This letter should address your academic engagement and potential, engagement in extracurricular and/or experiential learning activities and/or work experiences, and how your engagements are building upon your academic work.
• Please request and discuss this recommendation letter with your preferred recommender in advance of listing them in the application to ensure they are available to write and submit a letter.
• Once you enter your recommender's contact information into the application, they will receive an automatic email with information about how to log in and submit their letter. Sometimes those emails get caught by spam filters, so it is your responsibility to follow up with your recommender to ensure they received that message and have all the information they need to submit a letter for you.
• Your grades: your UW transcript will automatically upload into your application. Please submit unofficial transcripts from any other college or university you attended.

A selection panel of UW faculty, staff and alumni will review all completed applications and select 1-2 students to receive each scholarship. Scholarship selection will be based on:

• Academic engagement and potential.
• Sense of purpose about your studies and activities.
• Potential to make positive contributions to your field and/or society in your future career.
• Demonstrated depth of thinking and reflection about connections between activities, engagements, work, etc. and the value of those experiences to your learning or future trajectory.
• Well-formulated ideas about the direction of studies and future career.
• Alignment with each of the scholarships’ unique requirements.

Notification of the campus selection panel's decisions will be e-mailed to applicants in mid-May. Students selected to receive these scholarships will be able to choose when the scholarships will be disbursed (options will include spring 2024, summer 2024, or fall 2024).

Receipt of any scholarship, including these, can impact any financial aid you may be receiving, and the awarding of these scholarships can also be impacted by financial aid limits. This should not discourage you from applying! If you are selected, we can work through any of those circumstances that could come up.