Alex Austin, Long Beach native and defensive back for the Oregon State University Beavers, is no stranger to overcoming adversity.
"This scholarship is important to me because I know that everyone battles with adversity at some point in their life. I myself had to overcome adversity to get me to where I am today. This is why I want to give back to students who have shown resilience in overcoming their own challenges."
Now, Alex is partnering with Access Scholarships and Hirect to do exactly that! Three scholarships (one $1,000 award and two $500 awards) will be awarded to students who have overcome hardship throughout their lives.
High school and undergraduate students of all years are encouraged to apply. Special consideration will be given to minority students, as well as students who are or will be the first in their family to attend college.
Total amount: $2,000
Number of awards: 3
Breakdown of awards: (1) $1,000, (2) $500
Deadline: September 1
Open to: High school & undergraduate students
$500 Winner
High School Senior from Illinois
"It is an honor to receive this scholarship. As college is becoming increasingly expensive, many students, including myself, have to rely on scholarships to afford it, so I am extremely grateful to Access Scholarships, Alex Austin, and Hirect for this opportunity. I will put it towards a degree in computer science, which I will use to help others while working for the government or a nonprofit."
$1,000 Winner
College Senior from California
"I am thrilled to be awarded Alex Austin’s Overcoming Adversity Scholarship! This award is a wonderful way for me to celebrate the hurdles I have overcome throughout my college career. Because I am graduating soon, I will be putting this scholarship towards my student loans. I want to thank Alex Austin for creating this opportunity for myself and the other scholarship winners. Students face a wide range of adversities throughout their college years, and I am grateful that this scholarship was inclusive of my individual experiences."
$500 Winner
College Sophomore from New Jersey
"As a first-generation student, I have a tendency to place a lot of emphasis on my academics. A scholarship like this helps me realize that life is about more than just studying and getting excellent grades, that I am a person with a narrative, and that my character is constantly evolving. With the help of this scholarship, I intend to launch my own small business. And your scholarship serves to remind me that prosperity has no limits, despite the challenges we encounter in life. Thank you!"
Our Overcoming Adversity Scholarship is now closed, and no longer accepting applications.
Head on over to our Featured Scholarships page to check out some more awesome opportunities.
Overcoming adversity and hardships of all shapes and sizes are often what help us to build resiliency. In 500 words or less, tell us about a time that you encountered an obstacle or challenge. How did you navigate this situation, and what lessons did you learn from it?
The Overcoming Adversity Scholarship is open to high school and undergraduate students of all years who are 13 years of age and older who have at least a 2.5 GPA (on a 4.0 scale).
Students of all majors/areas of study are welcome to apply.
The deadline to apply is September 1, 2022 at 11:59pm EST. Applications that are not submitted by this date will not be considered.
To apply, you must upload:
Note: If you are selected as a finalist for the scholarship, you will be required to send in a copy of your transcript to verify that you meet the 2.5 minimum GPA requirement.
This scholarship is open to US citizens/permanent residents, as well as DACA recipients and international students currently studying in the US. International students outside of the US are not eligible to apply for this scholarship.
One award in the amount of $1,500
Two awards in the amount of $500
Winners will be chosen primarily based on the written submission.
If you are selected as a winner, you will be contacted by Access Scholarships via email to coordinate mailing the scholarship check directly to you.
Great question! If you have questions, please reach out to ayden@accessscholarships.com.
Access Scholarships is a free scholarship search engine and college resource platform for students.
Hirect is a chat-based direct-hiring app that focuses on top tech startup hiring.
Photo credits: Hirect, OSU Athletics, Sean Meagher/The Oregonian
