The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) Board of Directors has announced an annual $1000 scholarship program for four undergraduate students working toward a career in the equine industry who are also attending a college or university in the state. The Kentucky Equine Education Scholarships are awarded to legal Kentucky state residents, who are enrolling in the fall or are current full-time students at a Kentucky university/college that offers a program in equine studies. The student must be enrolled in equine studies, have a 2.5 or higher GPA on a 4.0 scale and also be a KEEP member.
The purpose of the KEEP Scholarship Program is to provide scholarships to students pursuing a career in the horse industry, who demonstrate financial need, academic success, shows a commitment to Kentucky's Horse Industry, hard work, and determination. The deadline for this year's scholarship is May 1st. All four scholarship winners will be awarded before the start of the fall 2010 semester. A committee of the KEEP Board of Directors, chaired by Dan Kenny, a Lexington bloodstock agent, will select the winners.
Equine Organizations Work Together With Joint Scholarship Program
(Lexington, Ky.) - The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP), the Kentucky Horse Council (KHC) and the Race for Education have announced a joint effort to promote Kentucky's Equine Scholarships. While each organization will continue to award its own scholarships, they will join forces to promote all equine scholarships in an effort to reach more individuals and show a unified effort to promote Kentucky.
The Kentucky Equine Education Project Scholarship program will provide scholarships to students pursuing a career in the horse industry who demonstrate financial need, academic success and show a commitment to Kentucky's Horse Industry. A committee of the KEEP Board will select the winners. The Kentucky Horse Council annually awards six scholarships to students who have demonstrated academic success, equine industry involvement and community service. Applications are judged by a panel of both Kentucky Horse Council board members and individuals from the community and from universities. The Race for Education scholarship program is open only to students 24 years of age or younger. There are currently three main scholarships offered and students may apply for only one type of scholarship.
The Horsemen's Scholarship is available to children of racetrack, backside and horse farm employees. This includes but is not limited to foremen, grooms, hot walkers, assistant trainers, riders, and maintenance and office workers.
The Thoroughbred Scholarship is available to students pursuing an equine-related degree, such as pre-veterinary medicine (equine only), agricultural science with equine focus, racetrack management, or equine business management.
The National Turf Writers Association/Youbet Journalism Scholarship is available to undergraduate and graduate journalism students at any accredited university in the United States. "This is an excellent opportunity for the equine industry to once again join forces for the greater good," said Elisabeth Collier, Executive Vice President of Race for Education. "Working together each organization will have a wider audience reach and inform more individuals about each of their scholarship programs."
While each organization will maintain its scholarship and award those individually, the Race for Education Office will facilitate all the programs. For more information about all these scholarships contact any of the three organization offices: KEEP (866)771-5337 or www.horseswork.com, KHC (800)459-4677 or www.kentuckyhorse.org and Race for Education (859) 252-8648 or www.racingscholarships.com.
