This page is intended for a new Boston Mensa Scholarship Chair, or any officer of Boston Mensa who is interested. The overview is my understanding of the current situation. I’m not trying to create anything new here, just report in one place how our scholarship program is supposed to work.

-Bill Hees, Boston Mensa LocSec, 6/26/99

Overview

Boston Mensa takes part in two separate programs – we participate in the national MERF program, and we have our own local program. The job of the Boston Mensa Scholarship Chair is to oversee both the local scholarship program and our participation in the MERF scholarship program.

The MERF program is a nationwide contest. Our job there is to filter all the applications coming from students in our area, and send the best ones for competition at regional then hopefully nation levels. Ultimately a winner (or winners) is chosen for the whole country. Meanwhile, our own local Boston Mensa scholarship program only awards money to local students.

These are separate programs, as in the money, responsibility, and "ownership" are with two different entities (MERF, and Boston Mensa). Operationally, the two programs are highly co-mingled and appear to be a single program with a national component and a local component. This is because we use the MERF application for our local competition to avoid duplicating effort. Therefore, we use the MERF rules and procedures as well. When a student applies for the MERF scholarship they are applying to ours as well. Or, when they apply to ours they are applying to MERF’s as well. As I said, they’re co-mingled.

Activity begins around September of each year. Publicity and application activity happen in the fall and early winter, deadlines for entries are usually in January, and the judging process begins shortly afterwards. Both programs are open to anyone who is a student (as defined by MERF) and a US citizen. We only handle applications from people who live in our geographic area. Applicants need not be members of Mensa, or relatives of Mensa members, or in any way associated with Mensa -- we do this for the publicity and good will it gives both the local and national Mensa organizations, and for our obligation to our members who have contributed money to these scholarship programs.

Boston Mensa Local Scholarship Details

Currently, we have two separate local scholarships: a general purpose Boston Mensa scholarship, and a Ralphine McGill-Coons scholarship that is open to students of science or medicine. The Boston Mensa Treasurer maintains separate accounts for the money that is used to pay for these local scholarship programs. It is up to the ExComm to set the award amounts based on how much money we have left, and other considerations. As of 6/26/99, the following amounts shall be awarded each year until further notice:

• $1000 Boston Mensa Scholarship -- best essay overall
• $500 Boston Mensa Scholarship -- second best essay overall
• $500 Ralphine McGill-Coons Memorial Scholarship -- best essay of a student of science or medicine (Note: It is possible for the same person to win the general Boston Mensa scholarship and the Ralphine McGill-Coons scholarship.)

We acknowledge that these amounts are not enough to change anybody’s life. However, hopefully they will help somewhat. Also, being able to claim "I was the winner of the Boston Mensa Scholarship for 1999" adds some value to a student’s credentials.

Most of the money for the general Boston Mensa scholarship fund came from auctions at RGs. Some came from other sources. For example, David Heimann has often donated excess proceeds from his mountain climb events. Due to difficulties with running the scholarship program in recent years the ExComm has discussed directing future fund raisers towards other beneficiaries such as the MOG. Regardless of that, money we have already collected for our general scholarship fund must be spent on scholarship awards and costs necessary to run the scholarship program.

Money for the Ralphine McGill-Coons memorial scholarship fund was, I believe, bequeathed to us in 1993 by John Coons, Ralphine’s husband. This couple was very active in and dedicated to Boston Mensa in the 1980s and was largely responsible for it becoming the successful chapter that it is today. A lump sum of several thousand dollars was donated with instructions, I believe, for a little to be given away each year until it ran out. The ExComm determines the amount of the award, currently $500. The ExComm has discussed the possibility of accelerating the payout schedule so that 1) the award is more meaningful to the recipient, 2) the funds are all paid out while we still have members who remember Ralphine, and 3) our obligations to run this program will be over sooner. In late 1998 (I believe) we increased the award from $250 to its present $500, but the question still exists as to whether we should increase it much more drastically. Barbara Canup (Crowley) was the executor of John Coons’ will and although she lives out of state could probably be tracked down for further guidance on how the money should best be spent to be in accordance with John Coons’ wishes.

MERF Details

This information came from 1998-1999 National Scholarship Co-chairs, Lynne Killgore & David Michel. The local group scholarship chair gets a packet with all the details (and other things) in September of the given scholarship season.

"We are forwarding your message to the new National Scholarship Co-chairs, Tom and Elaine Ehrhorn. You will be receiving a participation agreement for next years contest in your Loc-Sec packet in July or August. Chairs need to be signed up by October 1st. Attached is a job description for scholarship chair. The instruction packets mailed out during the contest will have much more detail.Yours, Dave and Lynne"

LOCAL GROUP SCHOLARSHIP CHAIR JOB DESCRIPTION

LocSec or President of the local group appoints the Local Scholarship Chair by September of each year. The Chair will receive a packet of detailed information and instructions from the National Scholarship Chair in October, or when the participation agreement is received.

The Local Chair choses the local address for the applications. This can be either a street address or post office box. The cost is reimbursable, if it is used only for MERF business.

The Local Chair publicizes the program at the local level.

He/she mails applications to those who request them.

He/she recruits judges to read the essays. The schedule for reading is set by the National Scholarship Co-Chairs.

The Chair then forwards the winning essays to the Regional Scholarship Chair postmarked by the deadline set in the calendar and completes the Local Group Information form certifying the results of the local portion of the contest.

The Chair winds up the local program by writing thank you notes, preparing press releases for any local winners and making presentations to these winners. Fills out and returns the expense report and questionnaire at the conclusion of the program. And sign up for the next years contest.

The Chair should also be knowledgeable about Mensa in general and the local group in particular. Please remember that he/she will be the first, and possibly only, contact that an applicant will have with Mensa or MERF.

1998-1999 CALENDAR

* September-October - Group LocSec or RVC notifies National Scholarship Co-Chairs of appointment of Local or Regional Scholarship Chair by returning a completed acceptance form.

* October - All Scholarship Chairs receives packet of materials and instructions from National Scholarship Co-Chairs. Information and instructions are reviewed for preparation. This is the time to rent a post office box, if desired. Now is also the time to start recruiting your judges.

* October-December - Local Scholarship Chair disseminates information on program to school districts, colleges, press, etc., and mails out applications as requested. Last postmark to request an application is December 31.

* December-January - Local Scholarship Chair (or delegate) receives and codes essays in preparation for judging. Essay postmark deadline is January 31.

* February - Local Scholarship Chair holds judging of essays and prepares winning essays and report for Regional Scholarship Chair. Packet must be postmarked by March 1st.

* March - Regional Scholarship Chair holds judging of essays and prepares winning essays and report for National Scholarship Co-Chairs. Packet must be postmarked by March 31st.

* April-May - National Scholarship Co-Chairs holds judging of essays and prepares list of winners. Reports to Regional and Local Scholarship Chairs must be postmarked by May 30th.

* June - Local and Regional Scholarship Chairs receive announcement of the winners, write thank you notes and presents any awards. They also prepare and submit their expense report and questionnaire to the National Scholarship Co-Chairs.

* July - Reception for all scholarship chairs at the Annual Gathering.

* August - Recuperate and get ready for the next year.