Member-funded scholarships keep giving long after college

  • Jul 1, 2013
  • Phyllis Miller, Foundation Trustee

Sometimes something small can lead to something big. A $300 scholarship may not be much when compared to the cost of college tuition these days, but when it's a Mensa Education & Research Foundation scholarship, it's not the money that matters as much as the idea—the idea that the students who receive them are good enough for Mensa's high standards. And that often means it can be used to leverage other sources of funding, bolster self-confidence, spark energy, and bring joy to the students themselves.

Last year, we sent a questionnaire to a group of past scholarship winners to see just how being a winner impacted their lives. These were busy people during their college years. More than three-fourths participated in a campus club or organization, and almost two-thirds held a leadership position. More than half belonged to an honor society, and almost half conducted research with a faculty member. And when we asked if they had won any special recognition, we were blown away. For example, one said:

  • Roy W. Howard National Collegiate Reporting Competition
  • One of nine students selected nationwide for a nine-day journalism study tour of Japan
  • Rural Computer-Assisted Reporting Investigative Mini-Boot Camp
  • Selected as one of 12 fellows to attend this spring's workshop sponsored by Investigative Reporters and Editors 2011, 2012 Scripps Howard Foundation Summer Internship and Scholarship Program
  • Recipient of two $3,000 scholarships for the summers of 2011 and 2012 to pursue an internship at any media outlet
  • 2011-2012 Hearst Journalism Awards, Television Broadcast News, eighth place
  • I also interned with the investigative unit of CBS News in New York this summer.

Thanks, Mensa!

College is a time for exploration of the wider world, and for about 16 percent of the winners, their scholarships enabled them to look beyond their original career goals. For example, one wrote, "Looking back at my essay, I have achieved many of the goals I set for my college years, including participating in laboratory research and completing an internship. My specific career plans have changed because I am no longer pursuing a career in medical research in the laboratory. However, my overarching goals still ring true and guide me as I explore the field of biotech regulatory affairs."

So what have they done since graduating? Listen to this: "This scholarship helped me earn a master's of library and information studies degree. With this degree I have written two books, been invited to speak nationally, been elected to the governing body of the American Library Association, been elected to the Executive Committee of the Library and Information Technology Association Board of Directors, and have been awarded an Early Career Award from the School of Education, which granted me the degree."

"Since finishing college, I have become a structural design engineer in the aerospace industry and obtained a master's degree focused on aerospace design. I created several designs for parts on the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner. I was part of an engineering team that won "Engineering Team of the Year" in 2010 for all engineering in Boeing-Huntsville. I have had two patent applications submitted to the U.S. Patent Office."

When we asked if they thought the Mensa Foundation scholarship was beneficial to their academic careers, 90 percent said yes. Over the years, the Foundation has awarded thousands of scholarships to students throughout the United States; 90 percent is a very large number, indeed! But while the Foundation made the awards possible, all of the work was done by volunteers, Mensa members in Local Groups all over the country, and all of the money to fund those awards was donated by people like you. So while the scholarship winners are grateful to the Foundation, we on the Foundation Board of Trustees are exceptionally grateful to all the volunteers and all the donors who make our work possible.

If you or someone you know will be going to college next year, visit the Scholarships Page to get more information about scholarship applications, deadlines, and more.