Scholarships Awarded by SDCEA

Eighteen central Colorado students looking to pursue higher education this fall were awarded Sangre de Cristo Electric Association scholarships earlier this spring.

High school, college, and trade school students from Chaffee, Custer, Fremont, Lake, and Saguache counties who are members or dependents of SDCEA members are eligible to apply for the scholarships.

Forty-four applications were considered this year for one four-year scholarship at $2,000 per year and 13 scholarships for one year of $2,000 each. In addition, one $1,000 scholarship sponsored by Basin Electric, two $1,000 scholarships sponsored jointly by Tri-State and SDCEA, and one lineworker school scholarship.

A scholarship committee consisting of SDCEA directors and staff not related to students applying for the scholarships evaluated applications to determine awards. Each application’s personal identifying information is redacted prior to the independent review by each member serving on the committee, then brought to the committee as a whole for decision-making.

Subject to the availability of funds, SDCEA may award scholarships each year to assist worthy students in attaining higher education. Application information is posted on SDCEA’s website, myelectric.coop, and made available to area high schools in the company’s service territory in the fall of each year.

One candidate is submitted each year by SDCEA to compete for one of 20 scholarships awarded directly by Basin Electric Power Cooperative to dependent children of employees who work at a Basin Electric member cooperative. Basin serves member cooperatives in nine states, including Colorado. The applicant must submit a separate application for the scholarship, complete an essay, be evaluated and recommended by a teacher or professor for the award, and then be chosen by the SDCEA scholarship committee to advance to Basin for consideration of the scholarship.