Somerville Scholarship Committee 09-17-2026

The Somerville Scholarship Committee met on September 17, 2026, to begin planning the next scholarship cycle and review follow-up items from the 2026 process. Members generally supported promoting the scholarship beginning around November, opening applications in March and closing them at the end of March, with selection in mid-April. The number and amount of scholarships were deferred until a future meeting, when the committee expects to review budget information and discuss fundraising. The treasurer reported a bank balance of $65,834.61 as of July 31 and $174.65 in interest; members also requested historical fundraising and balance information.

Members discussed revising application and policy materials based on lessons from the prior cycle, including adding student ID numbers, removing class rank, reviewing scoring criteria and the mission statement, and giving applicants space to explain circumstances affecting their GPA. Follow-up actions include preparing a test application form, reviewing updated materials, and improving the college payment/vendor process, which may require W-9s for colleges not previously paid. Meeting notes were approved. No contract awards, purchasing decisions, or other procurement activity were identified.