ACS Trenton Local Section Scholarship Award 2024

The Trenton Section of the American Chemical Society (TrACS) is sponsoring one TrACS Executive Board High School Scholarship up to a maximum of $4000. $2,000 will be awarded in year one with the potential for a $2,000 renewal depending on funds, required continued pursuit of a degree in chemistry, and the maintenance of good grades during the freshmen year of undergraduate study. Graduating students at public or private high schools within the boundaries of the Trenton local section, who plan to major in chemistry, biochemistry, chemical engineering, or chemical/pharmaceutical technology at a two or four-year college, qualify for the scholarship.  

The Section is also sponsoring the Roeser Memorial Scholarship award of up to a maximum of $5000, with $3000 being awarded in year one with the potential for a $2000 renewal in year two. The application and renewal requirements for the Roeser Memorial Scholarship are the same as those described above with the following two restrictions: (1) the student must be graduating from a public high school and (2) must be planning, as a senior in high school, a career in pure or applied chemistry. An additional paragraph in the application describing pure or applied chemistry is also required (*see details, below).

We are looking for high school seniors who will pursue undergraduate degrees in chemistry, chemical engineering, biochemistry, chemical biology or chemical technology and that plan to pursue a career in the chemical sciences or engineering. Please note, typically, students pursuing degrees to become a nurse, medical doctor, physician assistant, pharmacist, physical therapist and certain other health professional career do not qualify; however, health science/engineering careers that extensively use chemistry, chemical technology, or chemical engineering and will involve research or manufacturing rather than treating patients may qualify at the discretion of the selection committee.

The American Chemical Society (ACS) is actively committed to cultivating a diverse, equitable, inclusive and respectful community of chemical professionals. Diversity, equity, inclusion and respect (DEIR) are among the core values of the ACS. Embracing and advancing inclusion in chemistry is one of the goals of the ACS Strategic Plan. Issues relating to DEIR can inform and shape the choices we make every day such as the classes you chose, the extracurricular activities you invest your limited spare time on, and the friends and colleagues you associate with. The Scholarship Committee is interested in hearing about your experiences in promoting these values in your community as part of the Background and College Plans section of your application.

Please note: only candidates attending a high school located within the Trenton ACS Local Section are eligible for either of these scholarships. You can determine if your high school is located within the Trenton ACS Local Section by entering your high school’s Zip/Postal Code and State at the following webpage: ACS Local Section Lookup.

To qualify for consideration for either scholarship, the student must submit to the scholarship committee the following items:

1. A letter with the following subheadings:
   1. Background
      1. Describe your intent to apply, summarize your GPA, extracurricular activities, and impressions of your high school chemistry course(s).
   2. College Plans
      1. Describe why you chose your college and your major
   3. Career Plans
      1. Describe your career aspirations after college and address what you hope to do with your career

*In order to be considered for the Roeser Memorial Scholarship, the applicant must include an additional paragraph in section C which address the following two areas: 1) A description of “what is pure or applied chemistry” and 2) An explanation of why a career in this area interests them.

2. An unofficial transcript of high school grades including chemistry courses.

3. If you wish, you may include an unofficial (i.e. photocopy) of your standard test scores (e.g., SAT, ACT, Major Field Test for Chemistry, administered by the Educational Testing Service).

4. The student’s home phone number and an email address, which will be active after the student graduates (do not give emails attached to the high school you are attending). We need to be able to contact the scholarship awardees to apply for the second year.

5. Pursuant to recent changes in the Scholarship application, the applicant is required to provide the name of a teacher who is willing to provide a recommendation, if required. Please include a phone number and email from your teacher so we can contact them.

All of the applicant’s materials should be sent as a  SINGLE PDF file for sections 1-5 to thomcag@gmail.com and also must be received by 5:00 pm Friday, April 26, 2024. The subject line of the email should be: Applicant name, TrACS Scholarship Application.

If you cannot submit a PDF file, a hardcopy may be sent to the address listed below and postmarked by the same deadline. An email should also be sent to thomcag@gmail.com so we know to expect your mailed application. The subject line of the email should be: Applicant name, TrACS Scholarship Application.

Mailing address for hardcopy application: 

Please note a hard copy application must also be received by Professor O’Connor by 5:00 pm, Friday April 26, 2024 so mail it at least one week before.

Abby O’Connor
Professor of Chemistry
The College of New Jersey
2000 Pennington  Rd
Ewing, NJ 08628 

• The awards have been presented to the winners at an Awards Banquet/Ceremony.  This year the awards will be presented at a ceremony in May 2024, the specifics of which will appear on the TrACS website in due time.

Students receiving the scholarship will be expected to perform the following duties:

1. At their institution of matriculation, the scholar must participate in their campus’ chemistry club (usually a student affiliates club of the American Chemical Society). If none exists, service to another science-based club may be substituted.

2. At the end of the academic year, the scholar must provide a written report that includes their activities with the campus club during the academic year, an unofficial copy of their transcripts showing their performance in their major, and a statement that the scholar will remain a chemistry, chemical engineering, or chemical technology major.

This information will be used to deem appropriate the awarding of to attend the TrACS Awards ceremony in 2025 to share their experiences at their new institution.