Apply for a Scholarship

The purpose of the STIHL Scholarship is to reduce barriers that prevent students from attending the State Park Leadership School and to enhance the educational experience by encouraging a diverse student body.

Scholarships will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis within the constraints listed below.

The following guidelines are to ensure scholarship funds are dispensed consistent with the purpose of the program and are available to the maximum number of participants.

• Preference will be given to applicants from state park agencies that are subject to an out-of-state travel prohibition implemented by an authority higher than the administrative head of the state park system (Ex: Governor, Department Secretary/Commissioner, General Assembly, etc.). Documentation of the travel prohibition must be submitted with the application. It may be in the form of a letter, executive order or other clear directive. To receive this preferential consideration, applications must be received by October 31.
• Other students may also apply through November 30 for scholarships if they meet any of the following. Supporting documentation must be submitted with the application and include a one-page written justification outlining the scholarship criteria on which the application will be judged.

1. They are from an agency with partial or conditional travel bans.
2. They are from a state park system that has not previously sent student(s).
3. They are from a state park system that has not sent any student(s) in 3 or more years.
4. Their cost of travel can be shown to be unreasonably high due to their remote location.
5. They will contribute to enhancing the diversity of the student body and of the ranks of professional s in key management positions in state park systems.

• Only travel, lodging and meals at Oglebay will be covered by the scholarship. The individual or agency must share the responsibility for attending the school by paying the basic registration fee, meals while travelling and any other associated costs not otherwise covered by the scholarship.
• The maximum amount available for an individual scholarship will be one thousand dollars ($1,000).
• Applications will be considered only when all necessary supporting information is received.
• Recipients will be reimbursed for the most cost-effective form of transportation available.

Cost-effective travel includes taking the most direct routes to and from Oglebay when driving. If a state is successful in securing more than one scholarship and participants travel to the school by automobile, only a shared vehicle will be eligible for reimbursement.

• Recipients will be reimbursed at the standard room rate. Participants of the same gender should share a room unless there are extenuating circumstances.
• Reimbursement will be made as soon as receipts are received and can be made out to either the state or the participant depending on who paid for the documented eligible costs.

All requests for reimbursement must be received by February 1 following the onsite school session at Oglebay.

Scholarship Application Instructions

Please fill out the Application Contract and include appropriate documentation to be considered for a scholarship.

• The Application Contract shall be completed and submitted online. The application may be submitted beginning September 1, 2024.
• For priority consideration as an applicant from a state with a current, strict ban on out of state travel, applications must be received by October 31, 2024.
• Any other applicants who satisfy any or all of the other Scholarship Criteria attached to the Application Contract must apply by November 30, 2024. The Scholarship Committee in awarding the scholarships will use order of receipt of applications as well as the extent to which applications meet the criteria.
• If you have any questions contact Lewis Ledford at lewis@stateparks.org.

Application Contract

The following information is submitted by Applicant to the State Park Leadership School for consideration of the STIHL Scholarship Program Committee. The available scholarships shall not exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) and do not cover tuition. The tuition costs must be paid by the participant or the participant’s agency. These scholarships are to support attendance and participation in the State Park Leadership School for 2024 but the individual and/or agency must also contribute to their participation.