Scholarships For Volunteering and Community Service

Students who are interested in scholarships for volunteering and community service may benefit from volunteering their time at VA Medical Centers. The Department of Veteran Affairs Voluntary Service offers two scholarships to young students who volunteer at the hospitals.

Created in 1976, the James H. Parke Memorial Scholarship is named for the founder of the Department of Veteran Affairs Voluntary Service National Advisory Committee. The scholarship is funded by staff of the VA hospitals, volunteers, and various organizations. The amount of the award and the number of scholarships for volunteering and community service that will be available, are decided each spring by the board of directors. Eligible students must be at least in their sophomore year of high school, under 19 years of age, and volunteered a minimum of 100 hours at a VA hospital through the Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service program in the past year. Nominations have to be made by the Director of the VA Medical Center, and each hospital is limited to one nomination. Nominees will be evaluated on the following: academic ability, leadership, reliability, personality, inspiration to VA patients, responsible behavior, and appearance.

The second scholarship for volunteering and community service that is offered through the program is the Jesse Brown Memorial Youth Scholarship, which was established in honor of the former Secretary of Veteran Affairs. Volunteers under the age of 21, who have volunteered at least 100 hours at a VA Medical Center, may be nominated by the Voluntary Service Program Manager at the hospital, or they can nominate themselves. Those who self-nominate must submit an essay, of no more than 750 words, addressing the topic "What Volunteering at a VA Medical Center Means to You." Recipients of this scholarship can apply the award to tuition and expenses at any accredited post secondary institution.