CenTex SHRM is proud to provide its members with a professional development scholarship opportunity as outlined in the policy below. Immediately following the policy are some educational opportunities that are appropriate for our members and others in the human resource field. Whether or not you’d like to take advantage of the scholarship, please scroll down to review these learning events.
CenTex SHRM PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SCHOLARSHIP
PURPOSE
To promote professional development in the human resources field by providing scholarships to eligible CenTex SHRM members for developmental activities as specified below.
DEFINITIONS
Current Member Regular, retired and student members of CenTex SHRM who are current on their annual dues AND have been a member for at least a year prior to the date of the request for a scholarship.
HR-Related Professional Development Activities include professional certification preparation programs and materials; HR-specific conferences, seminars, workshops or other HR-related training that provides Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credit; academic coursework in human resource management, human resource development or another HR-related field.
Request Period The time when CenTex SHRM will accept scholarship requests for professional development activities beginning in specified months listed in the chart below.
Satisfactory Completion: Documentation of professional development completion/attendance such as a certificate of completion or a grade report.
APPLIES TO
All Current CenTex SHRM Members
POLICY
To the extent funds are available, CenTex SHRM will provide funds for pre-approved, HR-related professional development expenses and required fees, up to a maximum of $300 per calendar year, to CenTex SHRM members who satisfactorily complete eligible professional development activities.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY ELIGIBILITY
Learning opportunities must be specifically related to the Human Resources field and may include seminars, workshops, continuing education courses and academic courses if taken through an accredited educational institution.
ELIGIBLE EXPENSES AND FUNDING
The CenTex SHRM Scholarship Program is administered through a committee comprised of the CenTex SHRM President, Past President, Treasurer, Director of Professional Development and a member-at-large. Three members of this committee is considered a quorum for all decision-making. This committee budgets funds based on projected need and chapter financial considerations.
- The committee will determine a percentage of the net profit from the CenTex SHRM Annual Conference to set aside for funding the scholarship program. This will be no less than 25%.
- Additionally, tax-deductible donations may be made directly to the scholarship fund by any individual.
- Any scholarship funds remaining in one calendar year will carry over to the next calendar year.
The CenTex SHRM Treasurer will report on the availability of funds for the program with each regular treasurer’s report.
Only tuition, required fees, and participant learning materials are eligible for scholarship consideration. Parking and other incidental expenses are not eligible for scholarship funds. Certification exam fees are also not eligible.
As a result of financial limitations, sufficient funds may not be available to fully meet all scholarship requests received during a particular budget cycle.
Previous scholarship recipients can re-apply during a new calendar year, however, new applications will receive first priority.
APPLICATION AND APPROVAL PROCESS
A member applies for a CenTex SHRM scholarship using the CenTex SHRMScholarship Fund Request Form.
For those who meet the applicant and program criteria, requests will be approved on a first-come, first-served basis during the following three request periods per calendar year. Members are encouraged to obtain scholarship authorization prior to enrollment in the desired professional development activity.
Once all funds have been allocated, no new requests will be approved. If funds later become available, all requests that were previously denied for lack of funds will be reconsidered and the newly available funds will be allocated according to the order in which the requests were originally received.
Authorization for scholarship is limited to professional development activities taken in a single request period; scholarships for coursework taken in subsequent request periods must be applied for and approved separately.
SCHOLARSHIP PROCESS
1. CenTex SHRM members interesApplicaton (found at the bottom of this page) and emailing any supporting documentation pporting documentation (i.e., course descriptions, enrollment forms), and submit this documentation via email to the CenTex SHRM Scholarship Committee during the appropriate “Request Period” outlined above.
2. The CenTex SHRM Scholarship Committee prints the request, including cover email, request form and associated documentation. The email will document date and time received, and will be used to determine the first-come, first-served criteria for approval.
3. The committee will keep all emailed requests in the email account for the duration of two complete request periods. Should a request be denied for lack of funds, and funds later become available, the committee will be able to return to the emailed requests to determine who is next in line for receiving funds.
4. The CenTex SHRM Scholarship Committee reviews the request to ensure that:
- The applicant is a current CenTex SHRM member in good standing (dues paid for the current year), and that
- The professional development activity is specific to the human resources field.
5. The CenTex SHRM Committee tracks the requested amount for the scholarship, comparing it to the funds available for the specific request period.
6. If funds are available and both criteria in #3 above have been met, the CenTex SHRM Committee approves the scholarship request, notifying the applicant in writing normally within 30 days of receipt of the request. The chapter treasurer provides a check for the requested amount, made payable to the CenTex SHRM member, to accompany the written approval.
7. If either funds are not available or both criteria in #3 above have not been met, the CenTex SHRM Committee denies the scholarship request, notifying the applicant in writing normally within 30 days of receipt of the request.
8. Those who receive a scholarship must provide documentation of satisfactory completion of the professional development activity to CenTex SHRM within 30 days of its conclusion. Appropriate documentation would be a copy of the grade report or a copy of a certificate of completion, and the receipt of paid tuition/fees.
- Should a scholarship recipient receive a grade of “incomplete,” the professional development activity must be satisfactorily completed within six months.
- Should a scholarship recipient not satisfactorily complete the approved professional development activity within the prescribed time limits, the recipient must reimburse CenTex SHRM for the allocated scholarship funds within 30 days of the scheduled activity completion date. These reimbursed funds return to the scholarship pool of funds for use with other requests.
- A recipient who does not provide this reimbursement will no longer be a member in good standing, and will not be allowed to renew membership until the debt is paid.
TAX TREATMENT
Tax treatment of CenTex SHRM Scholarships is determined by applicable IRS laws, regulations and interpretation at the time payment is made and is subject to change.
Members requesting CenTex SHRM Scholarships are responsible for any tax consequences that result from the educational benefit received.
HOW TO APPLY
To apply for a scholarship, please click HERE to complete the online application.
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