BACDA USA  Scholars Program

Period of Consideration: August 2017 to July 2018

Scholarship Overview

Each year BACDA USA  offers scholarships to students of Bakossi  origin. These awards are determined on a competitive basis and require the submission of a personal statement and essay from the applicant. All eligible students are encouraged to participate in this process.

The scholarship is open to all Bakossi students studying in the US (including international students) as well as students in Cameroon. Disbursements will be as follows:

USA –  $500 per student

Cameroon – $250 per student

The BACDA USA  Scholars Program is funded through private and public donations and operated by the BACDA USA Education Committee as a public charity. This program was established to provide academic scholarship, leadership training and service opportunities to promising young Cameroonians.

Scholars accepted into the program will be provided with the mentorship and nurturing that is required to excel in college and beyond. The program seeks to produce outstanding young men and women who will go on to pursue careers with the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), arts,  public service or professional degrees in business, law and medicine, among others.

The mission of the BACDA USA  Scholars Program is to nurture a new generation of Cameroonian leaders in the several careers mentioned above. Scholars also will become well informed of the history, socio-economic and cultural affairs of impact to Cameroon.

The BACDA USA  Scholars program seeks to identify young Cameroonian students who will make significant contributions to the society-at-large. Applicants must have demonstrated academic excellence, must be involved in community service opportunities and should exhibit exceptional leadership potentials. The applicant must be of bakossi decent.

Scholarship checks will be disbursed directly to the student’s school when the BACDA USA  Scholarship Committee receives: confirmation that the student has been enrolled full time at the school identified in the application. BACDA USA  Scholars may use their awards to pursue a degree in any academic discipline.

BACDA USA  Scholars are selected in the spring of each year. Applications will be screened during the month of May by an independent selection committee. In June, finalists may be invited to participate in a telephone interview with the selection committee. Winning Scholars are selected on the basis of their applications and interviews with the BACDA USA  Scholars Committee. Award winners will be notified by the chairperson of the BACDA USA  Scholars Committee.

The Applicant’s Statement should include:

reasons why you think you deserve  this award,

a description of the applicant’s financial need,

academic and career goals

Statements should be 300-500 words (double spaced) in length and include student’s name at the top of the statement.

The Applicant’s essay should discuss the role that youths play in the development of a society. Essays should be 500 -1,000 words (double spaced) in length and should include the candidate's name at the top of the essay. ( an example

Two letters of recommendation from current or past instructors or other persons in a supervisory role familiar with the student’s academic and financial qualifications should be included with the application.

Copies of official university transcript(s) should be submitted with the application by email to bacdausa@gmail.com  Return this completed package along with all requested materials May 15th to be considered for the upcoming school year starting in the Fall (Autumn). Note that this is the final deadline in order to be considered for the BACDA USA  Scholars Program.

All application materials must be emailed in one package. All transcripts and letters of recommendations must not be sent under separate cover. Letters of recommendations must emailed directly from the referrer

Email Applications should be through bacdausa@gmail.com

Winners will be selected anonymously (student name is removed from all application materials and student is assigned a code number) by a judging committee comprised of independent officers and affiliates of the BACDA USA . The judges will evaluate eligible students’ records in relation to their goals, school and community service, financial need and other significant information.

Applicants will be notified by email on receipt of a completed application package. Only finalists will be notified of their status in the competition. Notifications to finalists will be made by June 15th and each finalist is invited to participate in a telephone interview.

Winners of the scholarship will be notified by July 1st, and their names will be published on the BACDA USA  website. No materials will be returned to the candidate.

Note:

Recipients based in Cameroon will not be required to attend the Annual convention in the US

Students must be pursuing an undergraduate degree at an accredited university in the USA or Cameroon

Universities considered accredited in Cameroon are universities recognized by the Ministry of Higher Education.