25 SHIRK SCHOLARSHIPS will be awarded to Berks County students this year. $17,500 to $25,000 a year Do you demonstrate the qualities that characterize Shirk Scholars? Leadership Community Service Strength of Character Academic Achievement APPLICATION DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 15 13TH & BERN STREETS P.O. BOX 15234 READING, PA 19612-5234
THE EUGENE L. SHIRK SCHOLARSHIP Albright College annually awards 25 Eugene L. Shirk Scholarships. These scholarships were established to honor the late Gene Shirk and to encourage Berks County students to follow his ideals community service, leadership, strength of character and commitment to excellence. Shirk Scholarship recipients receive $70,000 to $100,000. ALL SHIRK SCHOLARS RECEIVE AT LEAST $70,000, OR $17,500 PER YEAR. IN ADDITION, THE COLLEGE AWARDS: An additional $2,500 to Shirk Scholars who choose to live on campus, bringing the total Shirk Scholarship for resident students to $80,000 ($20,000 per year). Since the Shirk Scholarship recognizes service, leadership and qualities of character, the College naturally wants those qualities present in our residence halls as well as in our classrooms. To that end, the College encourages Shirk Scholars to live on campus by providing additional scholarship funds to help defray the higher cost of living on campus. Shirk Scholars with high academic achievement will receive an award of $20,000 per year for on-campus study ($80,000) regardless of whether they live on campus or not. The College wishes to recognize with additional scholarship funds Shirk Scholars who excel academically as well as in service, leadership and personal qualities. Shirk Scholars who receive an automatic invitation into the Honors Program will receive $100,000 ($25,000 a year for four years of oncampus study) regardless of whether they live on campus or not. Shirk Scholarships are awarded to new students matriculating full time at Albright and are renewable each of the four years the student is enrolled at Albright College. In order to renew the scholarship, the student must be a full-time day student on Albright s Reading campus, complete a minimum of 25 hours of community service per semester, and maintain a grade point average of 3.0. TO APPLY FOR A SHIRK SCHOLARSHIP, A STUDENT MUST: Currently attend a Berks County high school or Reading Area Community College, or be homeschooled in Berks County. Complete an Albright application for admission on or before December 15, including receipt of the School Report form, high school transcript and teacher recommendation. Complete the enclosed Shirk Scholarship application on or before December 15. Applicants are welcome (but not required) to submit a written recommendation from an adult who is knowledgeable about the applicant s involvement in and service to the school and/or community. The writer could be a volunteer coordinator, pastor or rabbi, club adviser or coach. Once the College receives the admission and scholarship applications, all candidates are presented to the Shirk Scholarship Committee for a preliminary review. Those chosen to interview will receive at least a $7,500 scholarship. Those who pass the initial review will become finalists and take part in the Shirk interviews. These interviews are given on Albright s campus during the last three Saturdays in January, and all finalists are contacted by the College to schedule an interview. The Shirk Scholarship Committee reviews applicants on the basis of school and community service, extracurricular leadership, strength of character and academic achievement. Candidates are also judged on the effort they put into the scholarship essays and on how they present themselves during the interview. While the interview plays a role in the committee s decision, the interviews are relaxed and conversational in nature. If you have any questions concerning the Shirk Scholarship, please call the Albright Admission Office at (610) 921-7700 or visit the Shirk web site at www.albright.edu/admission/shirk 1
Eugene L. Shirk Scholarship STUDENT APPLICATION Application Deadline: December 15 Name High School Address Street City State Zip Telephone Cell Phone Email Preferred method of communication m Telephone m Email Will you be living in a residence hall on campus m or at home m? PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: Note: Do not be concerned if you have less to say for one question than another. The scholarship committee does not expect applicants to demonstrate equal strength in all areas. 1. Please list your school and community activities and volunteer service, or attach a resume. Activity Grade Time Spent Position Held 9 10 11 12 Hours/ week Weeks/ year 2
2. How have you served your school and/or community? 3. How have you demonstrated leadership in your school and/or community? 3
4. What do you perceive to be your greatest personal strength or attribute? 5. Do you feel that your academic record is an accurate reflection of the effort you have given to your studies? 4
6. Every year during spring break a group of Albright students give their time to others by volunteering for an Alternative Spring Break trip. If given the same opportunity, where would you like to go and what would you like to accomplish? 7. Is there anything else you would like the scholarship committee to know about you? (This is an opportunity to let the committee know of anything special or unusual in your life that has not been addressed in prior questions or in your application for admission. This is not a trick question; it is fine to leave it blank.) Signature Date Albright College is committed to a policy of equal opportunity and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status, or disability. This policy extends to all educational, service, and employment programs of the College. Albright College ensures that people with disabilities have equal opportunity to participate in its programs and activities, in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and encourages students to request the accommodations they qualify for. At Albright College, disability services are coordinated through the Academic Learning Center, which handles all requests for academic accommodations and makes referrals to other College units as needed. The ALC is committed to providing timely, individual assessment of student needs, and promotes self-advocacy and intentional learning among all students, especially disabled students. The ALC is located in the Administration Building, phone 610-921-7662, email academiclearningcenter@albright. edu, TTY 610-921-7241. Return to: Albright College, Admission Office, Thirteenth & Bern Streets, P.O. Box 15234, Reading, PA 19612-5234 5
GENE SHIRK: THE MAN AND HIS LEGACY The significance of the Shirk Scholarship cannot be fully appreciated without understanding the gifted, selfless man that it honors. Eugene Shirk was a remarkable, vital part of Albright College and the entire Reading and Berks County community. He made profound, life-long contributions in the areas of education, athletics, recreation, religion, politics, human services and communications. Shirk began his career as a math teacher and coach at Birdsboro High School; after 14 years, he was appointed principal. During World War II, he served for three years in the U.S. Air Force. After the war, he joined Albright College as a math professor, track and cross-country coach, and manager of the Athletic Department. When Shirk was 62, he was asked to run for mayor of Reading. With the volunteer assistance of admiring Albright students, he won election on an anticorruption platform and went on to become one of the few two-term mayors in Reading history. Shirk stepped down as mayor at age 75 and returned to Albright as a coach. He became nationally recognized as the country s oldest college coach in any sport, as well as one of the most successful. He was also a beloved mentor to his students. He took the time to be their friend as well as their coach, and he and his wife often welcomed students into their home to talk and share a meal. At age 77, Shirk was asked to serve as president of Berks Community Television, where he became a national pioneer in interactive cable TV and hosted a talk show designed to help high school students with their concerns. Throughout the years, Shirk was integrally involved with his church and more than 25 civic groups, including the Commission for Downtown Renewal, Reading Phillies, Kiwanis Club, American Cancer Society, Rotary Club, YMCA, M.A.D.D. and the White House Conference on Aging. Even more striking than his commitment to helping others was his strength of character his integrity, compassion and humble manner. He was a natural leader whose zest for life came from living each day to the fullest, and who treated all persons with respect and graciousness. Gene Shirk radiated optimism and hope for the future. He expressed faith in young people and encouraged his students and friends to always give their best effort, whatever their goal. He is remembered, quite simply, as being an inspiration to everyone he touched. 6