Scholarship Awards
The Friendship Force of Lincoln

Purpose

Friendship Force of Lincoln Scholarship Program supports:

  • Travel expenses for individuals on FFL exchanges
  • Humanitarian, peace, cultural, and travel projects associated with FFL/FFI exchanges or programs.

History

Alice Moore is recognized as the founder of FFL. She was appointed by the Mayor of Lincoln to establish a Friendship Force club in the community and was exchange director for the first exchange of 250 ambassadors to Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England in 1980. Alice’s husband, Corwin served as Club Treasurer and Historian for a number of years.

In May 1985 Friendship Force International staged an event to publicize their program. FFI created an International Awareness Award for media that do exceptionally meritorious work to educate its constituency about people and their problems in other countries. FFI then hosted a special dinner in Omaha and presented the award to The Omaha World Herald for the paper’s eight-part series called “The Population Bomb.” Proceeds from the dinner totaled $4,000 and were split between the Friendship Force of Eastern Nebraska and the Friendship Force of Lincoln. 

Thus, FFL created a General Scholarship Fund, and set up an objective to establish an Endowment Fund of $10,000. The Endowment Fund is supported by specified donations and other designated fund raising projects, and its income supports the scholarship program. 

Memorials at the times of Jack and Jeane Moore’s deaths (1994 and 2007 respectively) established another award: the Jack and Jeane Moore Scholarship.  Jack and Jeane Moore took part in the Lincoln/Newcastle Friendship Force Exchange in 1980 when they hosted four giggly teenage girls; it began a life-time friendship and participation in many other in-bound and out-bound exchanges. Jack and Jeane believed in the FF mission and wanted to help young people experience the value of international relationships. Jack and Jeane Moore were not related to Alice and Corwin Moore.

In August 2009 the General Scholarship Fund and the Jack and Jeane Moore Scholarship were combined into one. It was named: The Moore Memorial Scholarship dedicated to Alice and Corwin Moore, and Jack and Jeane Moore.

General Policy

Policies applicable to both the travel scholarship and the program support scholarship are:

  1. The Scholarship Committee shall consist of five members: FFL Vice-President, Committee Chair; FFL Treasurer; and three non-board club members appointed by the President—each of whom serves for three years with one rotating off of the committee each year. (FFL Bylaws—ARTICLE V, section 3; ARTICLE VII, section 1K)
  2. The endowment fund shall be divided into two components:
    a.  Scholarship principal (un-spendable) remains at $10,000; it will not be used for operational purposes or to underwrite scholarships.
    b. Scholarship spendable includes all other scholarship dollars; the amount will vary according to income and scholarship awards given.
  3. Scholarships are divided into two categories: travel on FFL exchanges and support for humanitarian, peace, cultural, and travel projects associated with FFL/FFI exchanges or programs.
  4. Application deadlines—scholarship applications shall be submitted to the Scholarship Committee by May 15 of each year; additional applications can be considered throughout the year at the Scholarship Committee Chair’s discretion.
  5. Award procedures:
    a. The Scholarship Committee will recommend a course of action to the Board of Directors.
    b. Approval of scholarship awards shall require a majority vote of the Board of Directors.
    c. The Board of Directors will render a decision within six weeks following the date of application. 
    d. The Board will notify applicants in writing about the disposition of their application.
  6. The number of scholarships awarded may vary from year to year.  FFL Board of Directors reserves the right to refrain from granting an award in any given year.

Policies Specific to Travel Scholarships

Travel scholarships shall be used to financially support individuals to travel on FFL exchanges.

  1. The amount of the scholarship is limited to 2/3rds of the total cost of coach airfare, exchange, and additional tour expenses; but, shall not exceed $2,000. It does not cover optional and personal expenses such as passport, visa fees, and insurance.
  2. A scholarship is limited to one award per individual.
  3. A scholarship must be used within a 3-year period or it will go back into FFL’s scholarship fund.
  4. A scholarship must be applied to an FFL outbound exchange.
  5. Scholarship recipients shall receive a one-year complimentary FFL membership. Should a scholarship recipient drop his/her membership prior to using the scholarship, it shall be withdrawn.

Qualification Criteria – Applicants must

  • support the goals and objectives of Friendship Force.
  • demonstrate openness to other cultures and people.
  • be willing to share exchange experiences with others upon return.
  • be physically able to participate in all exchange activities. 
  • not have previously traveled outside of North America; however, the Board may waive this requirement in special circumstances.
  • demonstrate financial need.
  • travel with an adult if under 18 years of age.

Application – Applicants must

  1. Complete the application form: Click to open the form  Complete the highlighted blue fileds on the form and save it on your computer.
  2. Answer the following questions in 1500 words or less.   
    a. Why are you interested in participating in a Friendship Force exchange?
    b. How would you be a good international representative?
    c. What benefits do you anticipate for you, your community, and FFL by your participation in an exchange?
    d. What skills can you contribute to FFL to further its mission and encourage others to participate in the club’s activities?
  3.  Provide evidence of financial need. The preferred way to do this is provide a copy of his/her and/or his/her parents’ latest Federal Income Tax Return to be reviewed only by the Scholarship Committee Chair prior to the committee interview.

Review Process

The Scholarship Committee shall (a) review all applications, (b) personally interview each applicant, (c) accept the Committee Chair’s recommendation about financial need, and (d) recommend a course of action to the Board of Directors.

      Travel Scholarship Award Record
Information is unavailable prior to 1993
1993 ($500 to Kathy Stastny)
1994 ($500 to Marilyn Paolini)
1996 ($650 to Noah Clayton)
2000 ($500 to Julie Splichal)
2001 ($500 to Tania Green)
2002 ($1000 to Buddy Sizemore)
2003 ($1000 to Becky Grutell)
2008 ($362 to Kathy Mueller)