25 Year Anniversary Alumnae Scholarship

Thank you for your interest in applying to the JKWOWU 2027 Alumnae Scholarship in honor of our upcoming 25 year anniversary! All alumnae are welcome to apply which includes Class of 2002 to Class of 2026. Joan Karff’s vision was to inspire and propel the next generation of women through education and arts. Over the course of many years, we understand that education costs are rising but also continuing because education is truly life-long. We are happy to announce our Alumnae Scholarship to fund higher education and continuing education for our alumnae.

Many of you may still be in undergraduate school or graduate school. Some of you may be looking to go back to school for a career change. Many of you may be in your careers and looking to do various certifications and courses that would expand your workforce skills. Many of you may be looking to expand your personal education in fields outside of your direct career choice. This scholarship is open to many types of higher education/continuing education so we invite all to apply! Additional eligibility and scholarship information is below.

Submission Timeline

Submission Deadline
Dec 01, 2026 by 11:59 pm CT

Winners Notified
Feb 1, 2027

Award Presentation
Sunday March 7, 2027 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm at the 25 Year Anniversary Celebration.

Award Amount

Scholarships will be awarded at varying amounts depending on the application, total funds available, and discretion by the selection committee. Scholarship amount will start at $500 and may be higher.

Fund Disbursement:
Payments will be remitted directly to the institution or organization providing the educational class, course, etc. NO FUNDS WILL BE DISBURSED DIRECTLY TO THE STUDENT/ALUMNA.

Eligibility

Must be a WOWU alumnae between 2002 – 2026.
Anyone who is enrolled in or will be enrolled in an accredited 2 year, 4 year, or higher education university (includes associates, bachelors, post-baccaleureate, masters, and doctoral level degrees).
Anyone who will be taking an accredited course or program for their career which is not already being funded by their employer or university.
Student can be enrolled part-time or full-time.

Requirements

All applicants must be a current JKWOWU alumnae (current Class of 2027 is ineligible).
The scholarship is for alumnae only, not applicable to family members of alumnae.
Scholarship winners must be present at the 25 Year Anniversary Celebration on Sunday March 7, 2027 at The Haywire Restaurant, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm. If an applicant has an extenuating circumstance, please reach out to the Scholarship Committee at scholarship@womenonthewayup.org.

Application Process

All sections labeled required must be submitted with the application.
All applications must include 3 essays: Program Impact, Statement of Intent, and Statement of Financial Need.
All essays must be 600 words or less.
There will be a section to upload an optional resume/CV. Including or not including this will not have an automatic impact on whether you receive a scholarship. All applications will be reviewed in whole.
The Scholarship Committee may reach out to you after you submitted your application if we need more clarification on any items.

Additional questions on eligibility, application process, and more can be sent to scholarship@womenonthewayup.org.