OVERVIEW

The academic scholarships provided by the Nicholas Patterson Perpetual Fund were established under the Last Will and Testament of the late Nicholas D. Patterson. Mr. Patterson was a self-educated man, who during the course of his lifetime (he lived to 103) developed an admiration as well as an appreciation for those who studied hard and worked to try and achieve their goals through education and citizenship. The Patterson Fund scholarships are not intended to pay a student's entire tuition, but to help lessen their financial burden.  For the Fall 2017 school year scholarships will be in the amount of $2000.

ELIGIBILITY

• Mr. Patterson's will dictates that all applicants for this scholarship must be residents of Erie County in New York State.
• Recipients do not have to matriculate in schools in Erie County.
• All applicants, regardless of academic standing, get equal consideration.
• Financial means is not the sole consideration.

SCHOLARSHIP SELECTION

A Committee consisting of three members reads the scholarship applications and provides recommendations to the Trustee of the foundation as to the fitness of each applicant. No candidate will be eliminated from selection because he/she is not an outstanding student or has financial means. However, candidates who do not follow the instructions (see below) will not receive consideration. The purpose of the scholarship is to help develop the skills necessary to become hard working citizens, who upon the completion of their studies will be ready to contribute to their community and their country.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO DO

• Overview:
  • You will be filling out three Forms, answering a biographical question and answering one of two essay questions plus recommendations.
    • Minimum of six pages and a maximum of eight pages
  • The biographical questions and essay questions are found on the Application Submission Check List below.
  • Transcripts
    • Include most recently completed semester
    • Unofficial transcripts are acceptable
    • No Page Limit
• How To Begin:
  • Download Forms A, B & C.
    • Instructions are in the next section.
  • The Scholarship Application Instruction section includes guidelines about HOW to complete your scholarship application.
  • The Application Submission Checklist section includes guidelines about WHAT must be included in your scholarship application.
  • The How To Submit Your Application Section includes instructions about SUBMITTING your scholarship application.
• Deadline:
  • Don't forget the June 16th, 2017 deadline!

HOW TO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT THE FORMS

NOTE: Use these links to download Adobe Acrobat Reader or any PDF reader, to view and print the forms.

Your application package must include Forms A, B, and C.

To Download the PDF Forms:

1. Click on the link to the Form.
2. Click on the down arrow to the right of the Save button then select Save as.
3. Next, rename the filename.
   1. Replace YourLastName with your last name.
   2. Replace YourFirstName with your first name.
   3. If you name is John Smith, save the YourLastname_YourFirstName_Financial_Form_A_2017.pdf file as Smith_John_Financial_Form_A_2017.pdf.
   4. Click the Save button.

Remember to download all three (3) files.

DOWNLOAD THE FORMS

• #1: Form A: Applicant Information:
  • Click Here To Download Form A
• #2: Form B: Applicant Financial Information
  • Click Here To Download Form B
• #3: Form C: Parent / Guardian / Spouse Financial Information
  • Click Here To Download Form C 

HOW TO FILL OUT THE FORMS

NOTE: Use these links to download Adobe Acrobat Reader or any PDF reader, to view and print the forms.

1. Forms A, B & C are downloadable PDF Forms.
   1. You may download and print the Forms then type or neatly print your information.
   2. You may download and save the forms then edit the forms on your computer or any device then print the Forms.
      1. Using Adobe Acrobat Reader or any PDF reader, open desired Form.
      2. Click on any box into which you want to enter information.
      3. When you are done entering information, save the Form. You can reopen the PDF file and make changes as needed.

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

• Each application must be typed or neatly printed in ink.
• The application itself is limited to a MINIMUM of SIX PAGES and a MAXIMUM of EIGHT PAGES.
• ACADEMIC TRANSCRIPTS of your most recently completed semester must be sent along with the scholarship application package, but are not considered part of the scholarship application package.
  • In other words, ACADEMIC TRANSCRIPTS are not part of the six (6) to eight (8) page application, but must be included with it. If they are sent separately, your entire application will be viewed as incomplete and will not receive any consideration.
    • Transcripts may be copies.
    • Class schedules are not considered transcripts.
• Use SINGLE SHEETS OF PAPER.
  • Do not use both sides of paper.
  • Please do not STAPLE pages.

APPLICATION SUBMISSION CHECKLIST

• ITEM #1: Form A: 2017 Applicant Information:
  • The first page must contain your name; address where you live, telephone number, email address (if applicable), name of school presently attending as well as the name of the school you hope to attend in 2017. 
• ITEM #2: Form B: Financial Information: Applicant
• ITEM #3: Form C: Financial Information: Parent / Guardian / Spouse
  • Form C must be dated and signed by person providing the information.
• ITEM #4: Biographical Question
  • Describe the best way you learn new information both inside and outside of school.
  • What is the most efficient way (takes least time for most absorption) for you to learn?
  • In your answer give three (3) examples.
• ITEM #5: Essay Question
  • You may answer one or both questions. If you answer both questions your answer must be limited to one single spaced typed or written page per question. If you answer only one question your answer must be limited to two single spaced typed or written pages.
    • ESSAY QUESTION #1: The federal poverty level begins at annual income of $11,880 per year or $241.46 per week or less. For a family of four (4) its $24,300 per year or less. That is $493.90 per week for four (4) people.
      • Could you or your family live on these amounts per week?
      • In Erie county New York 14.7% of the total population lives at or below the federal poverty level. Twenty - two percent (22%) of the county children and adolescents up to age seventeen (17) live at or below the federal poverty level. Why does Erie county have such a high number of people living at or below the federal poverty level?
      • What would you do to reduce the number at or below the federal poverty level?
    • ESSAY QUESTION #2: Gender identity and sexual preferences have become important considerations. Which of the following public accommodations would you recommend for legislation for the USA and why:        
      •  unisex/family
      • female/male
      • female/male/other
• ITEM #6: Recommendations
  • Include recommendations from teachers, employers, neighbors, etc.
  • Limited to two pages single spaced.
• ITEM #7: Academic Transcripts
  • Number Of Pages: As Needed.

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• PRINTED APPLICATION
  • Mail To:
    • Nicholas Patterson Fund
    • Administrator
    • P.O. Box 192
    • Buffalo, NY 14213-0192
• ELECTRONIC APPLICATION
  • You may scan all pages into one PDF document.
  • You may submit any combination of PDF and word processing files.
    • Acceptable file formats:
      • .PDF
      • .DOC
      • .DOCX
      • .RTF
  • Email To:
    • Admin@PattersonFund.foundation
  • IMPORTANT: Please Include Your Last & First Name In All Document Filenames.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE

• All scholarship applications must be received by June 16th, 2017

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT ANNOUNCEMENT DATE

• The Patterson Fund trustees will set the scholarship recipient announcement date after all applications have been reviewed.
• This date changes from year to year based on the number of applications received.
• If you would like to be notified of this year's scholarship recipients, CLICK HERE to sign up.

MEMO TO SCHOOL FINANCIAL ADVISERS

• For your convenience, the memo to school financial advisers is made available as a downloadable PDF file.

QUESTIONS?

• Questions about the scholarship application:
  • Admin@PattersonFund.foundation
• Questions about the website:
  • Webmaster@PattersonFund.foundation

SUGGESTION BOX

• Have a suggestion for us?
  • SuggestionBox@PattersonFund.foundation