Community Corner

Buick Achievers Scholarship Accepting Applications Beginning Jan. 7

The Buick Achievers Scholarship Program, funded by the General Motors Foundation, will accept applications for 2013 scholarships beginning Monday, Jan. 7 through 5 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 28 

This is the third year the 1,100 Buick Achiever Scholarships will be awarded to students who excel in both the classroom and in the community and are pursuing degrees in engineering, design, information technology and business-related majors in the auto industry.

The annual Buick Achievers Scholarship Program was created in 2011, and has awarded nearly $12 million in scholarships. Through the program, 100 high school or current undergraduate students receive scholarships up to $25,000 a year, renewable for up to four years and one additional year for qualified five-year engineering programs. 

Find out what's happening in Birminghamfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

A one-time $2,000 scholarship is awarded to 1,000 students. 

“Since the inception of the Buick Achievers Scholarship Program, we have provided scholarships to more than 2,000 students from all 50 states,” said GM Foundation President Vivian Pickard. “This scholarship helps to change the lives of its recipients, making it more affordable for them to receive a higher education.” 

Find out what's happening in Birminghamfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

More than 120 military veterans or dependents of military personnel and more than 1,000 students who are first in their family to attend college have received Buick Achievers scholarships.

“The Buick Achievers Scholarship has been such an amazing blessing for me and my family,” said Tommy Jones, a junior mechanical engineering major at Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tenn., and a $25,000 scholarship recipient in 2012. “I’ve always had a passion for science and through this scholarship, I can pursue my dream of becoming an engineer without financial burden.”

Students from the United States and Puerto Rico are eligible. To apply for the Buick Achievers Scholarship, to learn more information or to register for e-mail notifications about the program, please visit www.buickachievers.com

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.