WEST JEFFERSON, N.C.--Area high school seniors whose parents are telecommunications customers of SkyLine Membership Corporation and SkyBest Communications may apply for national scholarships available through Foundation for Rural Service (FRS).
In 2022, the FRS will award one-year scholarships in each geographic region of the NTCA—The Rural Broadband Association membership (including the service area of SkyLine/SkyBest) to graduating high school seniors whose families are served by NTCA member organizations. This year, 30 one-time, $2,500 FRS scholarships will be awarded with FRS funding $2,000 of each scholarship, with the sponsoring local cooperative of each winning student providing a $500 match.
Additional scholarships ranging from $500 to $5,000 in value to be awarded through this program include the following:
- Staurulakis Family Scholarships. Students who are majoring in math, science, engineering or medicine will be given preference.
- TMS Scholarships.
- Everett Kneece Return to Rural America Scholarship.
- Roger Alan Cox Memorial Scholarships
- Sarah Tyree Good Neighbor Scholarship
- Herbert and Isabel Bitz Memorial Scholarship
According to the FRS, more than two-thirds of rural Americans with postsecondary degrees never return to their rural communities, so this program gives particular emphasis to those students who plan to return to their community following college. The FRS has awarded over $1 million in scholarships since its inception, empowering rural students throughout the country to advance their communities with invaluable skill sets and experiences.
Other key eligibility requirements for this scholarship include the following:
- Applicants must be children of SkyLine members or SkyBest customers who subscribe to either company’s telephone or broadband services.
- Applicants must be graduating from high school this year and reside full-time with their parent(s) in the companies’ service area.
- Applicants must have at least a “C” grade-point-average (GPA). FRS scholarships will be awarded to deserving students whose academic credentials fall within an average to above-average range.
- Applicants must be accepted to an accredited two- or four-year college, university or vocational-technical school.
- Applicants must express an interest to return to a rural community following graduation and be sponsored by SkyLine
Visit www.FRS.org/student or www.skybest.com/scholarships for full instructions on how to create an account and for all necessary materials required. The application window for online applications closes Friday, February 25. If you have additional questions about the FRS Scholarship, please contact Karen Powell at SkyLine’s corporate offices at 1-800-759-2226.
About SkyLine and SkyBest
SkyLine Membership Corporation has a strong history of bringing advanced telecommunications services to northwest North Carolina and east Tennessee since its formation as a member-owned telephone cooperative over 70 years ago. Recognized for its Gig-capable fiber network as one of the largest and most progressive rural telcos in the U.S., SkyLine and its wholly-owned subsidiary, SkyBest Communications, deliver advanced communications and technology solutions over an expanding network in northwest North Carolina and east/middle Tennessee The companies specifically provide symmetrical Gig broadband and bundled services (voice, internet, digital TV), business communications, network and hosting solutions, business phone systems, monitored security and surveillance services.
SkyLine and SkyBest continue efforts to extend the delivery of fiber technology to underserved areas, engage collaboratively to advance the telework economy and contribute meaningfully to communities across their service footprint.
About the FRS
The Foundation for Rural Service (FRS), in cooperation with NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association, seeks to sustain and enhance the quality of life in America by advancing an understanding of rural issues. Through its various programs and initiatives, FRS strongly supports the continuing education of rural youth.