Jim & Robbie Dick Memorial Social Justice Scholarship

Iskashitaa Refugee Network is a multicultural, intergenerational organization dedicated to harvesting local fruit year-round to reduce food waste in southern Arizona while integrating UN refugees into the community. We are proud to announce the 4th year of the Jim and Robbie Dick Memorial Social Justice Scholarship in memory of Jim and Robbie Dick’s volunteer service toward furthering equity, peace, social justice, human rights, and cross-cultural understanding.

Three awards of $5,000 will be awarded this year to a Tucson area high school senior applicant who has been an active volunteer in promoting these values, passions, and goals and who is going on to a university, community college, or trade school. Award money may be applied to tuition, room, and board or other costs at a post-secondary institution through their financial department. The review committee will consider the student’s dedication to making the world a better place and a continued commitment to community service.

The Jim and Robbie Dick Memorial Social Justice Scholarship (funded by the Dick Family) will be administered by an Iskashitaa Refugee Network review panel.

If you have any questions, contact us at IskashitaaScholarship@gmail.com with the subject line: Scholarship Review Panel.     

Deadline for all applications & documents to be received by April 4, 2025. Announcement of awardees May 1, 2025

Eligibility:

Tucson area high school seniors who are/have been involved in community service project(s) related to social justice, equity and cross-cultural understanding (such as volunteering with Iskashitaa, participating in or having a leadership role in school programs, city/county programs, church/civic organizations, etc.

Required Documentation:

• High school transcript.  A GPA above 3.0 is preferred, but lower GPAs will be considered for students whose applications reflect their commitment to the scholarship’s values.

• Provide resume of volunteer experience, employment, and extra-curriculum activities including organizations/projects and dates.

• Essay (500-750 words):  This scholarship values leadership and a commitment to furthering social justice, equity, human rights, and cross-cultural understanding. Why is this important? Give examples of how your personal experiences demonstrate your active commitment to these values. Discuss your educational and career plans and how they connect to these ideals. Be specific.

  Note: AI-generated content use is not acceptable, can be detected and will be cause for disqualification.

• Two letters of recommendation from a teacher, advisor, or supervisor that support your commitment to social justice, equity, and cross-cultural understanding.

Scholarship Suggestions:

We offer the following recommendations to assist you in reaching the targeted objectives of the application.

• Provide the scholarship requirements to those who will be writing your letters of recommendation and to anyone who is reviewing your essay.

• Have a mentor (friend, teacher, family member etc.) read your essay to make sure that you have answered the prompt thoroughly and have used correct grammar and punctuation.  

• The essay is evaluated on clearly addressing the prompt and conveying a commitment to making a difference.  Be sure to provide examples of the impact of your volunteer experience on you and your community. Discuss your plans for continuing social justice activism in the future.