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<p><strong>From staff reports</strong></p>
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<p>Following its namesake’s legacy of teaching and supporting educators, the Pat Conroy Literary Center has established The Pat Conroy Literary Center Future Educator Scholarship.</p>
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<p>Established to encourage and support high school seniors with a declared intent to pursue a career in education, the Pat Conroy Literary Center Future Educator Scholarship honors the teaching legacy of the late Pat Conroy (1945 - 2016), acclaimed bestselling author of <em>The Water Is Wide</em>, <em>The Great Santini</em>, <em>The Lords of Discipline</em>, <em>The Prince of Tides</em>, and more. The inaugural scholarship is funded through the generosity of former educators and will be presented in spring 2023.</p>
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<p>The $5,000 scholarship will be awarded in two parts: (1) $2,500 on high school graduation and college acceptance, and (2) $2,500 in the awardee’s junior year of college as a future candidate for teaching. In addition to receiving the cash award, the scholarship recipient will also be paired with a teaching mentor who will serve as an additional supportive resource throughout the student’s degree program.</p>
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<p><strong>Who should apply</strong></p>
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<p>The Conroy Center’s Future Educator Scholarship is open to all Beaufort County graduating high school seniors with an interest in pursuing a career in education and meeting the following criteria. Priority will be given to need-based applicants.</p>
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<p>The ideal candidate will: (1) have earned a GPA of 3.0 or greater on the S.C. Uniform Grading Scale, (2) have earned a 21 or greater on the ACT and/or a 1080 or greater on the SAT, (3) be a legal U.S. citizen and a legal resident of Beaufort County, (4) submit two letters of recommendation from teachers or mentors not related to the applicant, and (5) complete the required application form and two essays.</p>
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<p><strong>When to apply</strong></p>
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<p>The 2023 scholarship application period is now open and will conclude on March 20. Eligible applications will be reviewed by a selection committee, and finalists will be contacted for brief interviews. The scholarship recipient and all other applicants will be notified of their status by April 10.</p>
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<p><strong>How to apply</strong></p>
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<p>Apply online using the application form at <a href="https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/about/future-educator-scholarship. ">https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/about/future-educator-scholarship. </a></p>
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<p>Please contact the Conroy Center with any questions at patconroyliterarycenter@gmail.com.</p>
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