Chapter College Scholarships

First Tee – Greater Charlotte has three college scholarships available each year for high school seniors. These scholarships usually range between $1,500–$2,500 depending on the award. All scholarships are paid directly to the school and may be eligible for renewal for up to 4 consecutive years pending eligibility and a competitive selection process each year. For more information on our available scholarships, please carefully review the detailed information below.

Ace College Scholarship:

Participant Selection:
A minimum of one (1) $3,000 scholarship will be awarded each year. The total number of scholarships
offered will be at the discretion of the Scholarship Committee. Award winner(s) will be selected and notified
by July 1st. Finalists must submit applications by the May 31st deadline each year in order to receive funds for the following school year.

Eligibility:
For participants of First Tee- Greater Charlotte to be eligible to apply for the Ace College Scholarship,
they must meet ALL of the following requirements:
• Must have been a participant in First Tee – Greater Charlotte for at least two years at the time
of application
• Must be registered in the participant database as ACE Certified in the Life Skills Experience at time of
application
• Must be registered, active, and current in programming at First Tee- Greater Charlotte
• Must be a high school senior for the 2023-2024 school year
• Must have a minimum of 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 grading scale
• Must be planning to attend an accredited college or university as a full-time student for the 2024-2025
school year

If selected, scholarship winner(s) must commit to:
• Maintain a 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 grading scale or higher
• At least 25 volunteer hours with ANY organization (volunteer hours to be submitted with renewal application)
• Winners must re-apply and meet the above criteria for their scholarship to be renewed

Kathy Alford College Scholarship

Participant Selection:
A minimum of one (1) scholarship in the amount of $2,500 will be awarded each year. The total number of
scholarships to be awarded in a given year will be at the discretion of the Scholarship Committee. Following
the closing date of May 31st, the Scholarship Committee will review written applications and then select
candidates for in-person interviews with the committee. Award winner(s) will be selected and notified by
July 1, 2024.

Eligibility:
For participants of First Tee – Greater Charlotte to be eligible to apply for the Kathy Alford College Scholarship, they must meet ALL of the following requirements:
• Must have been an active participant in First Tee – Greater Charlotte for at least two years at the time
of application
• Must be registered, active, and current in programming at First Tee – Greater Charlotte
• Must be a high school senior for the 2023-2024 school year
• Must have a minimum of 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 grading scale
• Must be planning to attend an accredited college or university as a full-time student for the 2024-2025
school year

If selected, scholarship winner(s) must commit to:
• Maintain a 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 grading scale or higher
• At least 25 volunteer hours with ANY organization (volunteer hours to be submitted with renewal application)
• Winners must re-apply and meet the above criteria for their scholarship to be renewed. Renewals are competitive and funds awarded to renewals are NOT guaranteed.

***For the Kathy Alford College Scholarship: Once the deadline of May 31st has passed, selected applicants will go through panel interviews with the Scholarship Committee to determine who the finalists will be.

Walker Ratchford College Scholarship

Participant Selection:
A maximum of two (2) $2,500 scholarships will be awarded each year, renewable for an additional 3 years. Award winner(s) will be selected and notified by July 1st. Finalists must submit applications by the May 31st deadline each year to receive funds for the following school year.

Eligibility:
For participants of First Tee – Greater Charlotte to be eligible to apply for the Walker Ratchford College Scholarship, they must meet ALL of the following requirements:
• Must have been an active participant in First Tee – Greater Charlotte for at least two years at the time
of application
• Must be registered, active, and current in programming at First Tee – Greater Charlotte
• Must be a high school senior for the 2023-2024 school year
• Must have a minimum of 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 grading scale
• Must be planning to attend an accredited college or university as a full-time student for the 2024-2025
school year

If selected, scholarship winner(s) must commit to:
• Maintain a 2.75 GPA on a 4.0 grading scale or higher
• At least 25 volunteer hours with ANY organization (volunteer hours to be submitted with renewal application)
• Winners must re-apply and meet the above criteria for their scholarship to be renewed.

***For the Walker Ratchford College Scholarship ONLY: Once the deadline of May 31st has passed, the final round of the application process will include an interview.

Questions? Contact Dan Haddon via email [email protected]