Welcome from Board president Arthur Rangel
Hello and Welcome
Hello, and welcome! I’m Art Rangel, President of the Board of Directors of the Kennedy-King Memorial College Scholarship Fund. I want to thank you for your interest in our scholarship, and strongly encourage you to apply for one of our 2025 awards.
Since our founding in 1968, we have given over 6.9 million dollars in scholarships to over 1,230 students and we plan to award a number of $12,000 undergraduate scholarships in May of 2025.
I support Kennedy-King because I was a student who got through UCLA and Georgetown thanks to Pell Grants, Scholarships, Fellowships, and a whole lot of great mentors and people who supported me along the way.
About this application site
The purpose of this application site is to give you the information you will need to apply.
This includes:
- Detailed instructions on the application process
- Access to the online application
- Key dates and application checklist
- Tips for writing a personal statement
- And FAQs
On this site, you can also hear directly from some of our previous recipients. We have included a video from former scholarship recipients who will tell you what they did to get a Kennedy-King scholarship, and share their tips for success in the application process.
Make sure you qualify for this application
After you hear from them, the first thing you should do is make sure you qualify for the scholarship. You can do this by reviewing the scholarship criteria on this page. Also, once you create an account in our application tool you will be requested to complete some prescreen questions.
Get started now
Once you have done this, you should review all of the instructions, start working on the application, and gathering required documents, including counselor verification forms. We have tried to make it as simple as possible, but some of the steps, such as writing your essay, getting letters of recommendation and counselor verification forms, will take some time and planning.
Don’t put it off! The deadline is 5PM February 28th 2025. So that’s it for now, get started on your application and I hope to meet you at our annual Awards Ceremony in May!
Undergraduate Application NOW OPEN
Criteria for Applying:
The Kennedy-King Memorial Scholarship Fund each spring awards a number of two-year scholarships of $6,000 per year to students who transfer in the fall or spring following the award from Contra Costa County community colleges to junior standing in four-year accredited institutions.
TO QUALIFY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP YOU MUST:
- Belong to a minority group under-represented in the California College and University system, principally African- Americans; Americans (North, Central, or South) derived from Spanish speaking cultures; Native Americans; and Pacific Islanders (original peoples
of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands). - Be enrolled for the fall semester prior to the award (or have completed your course work within the past year) at Diablo Valley, Contra Costa, or Los Medanos Colleges. Applicants may not be currently enrolled nor intend to enroll before next June in a four-year college or university.
- Be eligible (have sufficient and proper units) to transfer to a four-year institution with junior standing for the next fall term (or at the latest the next spring term) following the award.
- Provide evidence of financial need.
- Complete and submit on time the application with all required attachments.
- If selected for interview, you MUST attend the Saturday morning Selection Committee interviews in the spring.
undergradute application
Application Process
Applications for this year open soon. Please complete the process by no later than 5PM February 28, 2025 and contact us if you have any questions at applications@kennedyking.org.
Applications may be submitted without FAFSA financial information at this time, however once that information does become available it will need to be provided to Kennedy-King.
We will review all applications throughout February and March and recipients will be notified by April.
Apply using the online Undergraduate Application Portal listed below. But before you do, please read the 2025 Undergraduate Letter and Instructions which follows immediately below.
We have added additional content on this page to help you with the application process.
These include:
- A video to walk you through the application process. The content of this video was presented to Los Medanos prospective applicants via a zoom meeting and includes an overview of the scholarships offered, a walkthrough of the online application process, and Q&A.
- A Key dates and application checklist which provides detailed information on what you should be working on month to month and key dates you should make sure you should be aware of.
- Tips for writing an autobiographical statement which provides information that may be useful in completing your autobiographical essay and publication summary
- Undergraduate application FAQs which may answer additional questions you may have.
Undergraduate Application Form
Online Form
Our online application is hosted by WizeHive and can be found at: https://webportalapp.com/sp/kkmc_scholarship_undergrad
Once you click on the portal URL, you can sign in if you have already created an account. Otherwise, Sign Up under Need An Account?
Introductory instructions on how to complete the online application are noted in the 2025 UNDERGRADUATE LETTER & INSTRUCTIONS section above.
Please send any questions related to the application portal or process to: applications@kennedyking.org.
In addition, you can view a presentation we gave to prospective applicants sponsored by LMC (view here) that provides an overview of the scholarship, insights on the application process by a former applicant, and an overview on how to navigate the on-line application
TIps for writing an autobiographical statement
Overview
As part of the Kennedy-King application process, you must complete an autobiographical essay and a publication summary.
The autobiographical essay should be no more than 1,000 words and must be completed in the space provided in the online application. Your application will be evaluated on the following criteria:
- Demonstrated financial need
- Academic achievement and potential
- Community service and involvement
- Personal attributes (e.g. character, integrity, responsibility, commitment, determination, hard work, achievements, hardships overcome, life goals, etc.)
If you feel your application may not fully reflect the above criteria, you should address those subjects specifically, in your autobiographical essay. Your autobiographical essay should not only address the evaluation criteria above; but should also answer the question: Why do you believe you should be given a Kennedy-King scholarship?
Here are some general tips to keep in mind as you write your autobiographical essay and publication summary:
1. Write an outline of what you want to say in the essay.
What is your story – start, middle, and end. Reflect on the message you want to convey. Avoid rambling sentences without a point. Be yourself, be honest, help us understand who you are and what you hope to achieve. The word authentic is often overused, but just be yourself and keep in mind you are filling in gaps from the application so we can understand who you are.
2. Make a draft without worrying about the word count, then edit.
Start by providing all the points you want to share with us without worrying about the word count. That comes later as you fine-tune. Then focus on your message and edit out unnecessary words/sentences. As you edit and review the structure of your story, find words and expressions that are intentional in presenting you in the best light. No one enjoys reading pointless run-on-sentences. Remember to use sentences, paragraphs, periods, commas and other basic grammar constructs. Think about the opening sentence and make it compelling. Close your essay by summarizing the important points from your accomplishments; your projections for your future; and tie back to your opening. While you want to illustrate points, don’t use clichés, exaggerate, plagiarize.
3. Take your time and fine tune
Expect to complete your essay in multiple interations. Read it out loud – does it hold interest? Is the essay cohesive, clear, compelling? Have someone proofread your essay and get their feedback. Plan ahead and start writing your essay in December. This gives you time for careful iteration and completion by January. Spell and grammar checks can be your friend; but good proofreaders are your best friends. Don’t panic – and take your time; you got this!
4. Keep confidential information confidential
One last but very important tip, do not share information you consider confidential or could harm you. Your autobiographical essay will be shared with Kennedy-King board members and volunteer interviewers.
undergraduate Application FAQs
What are all of the documents required?
All of the required documents are listed on the online application portal. These include, but are not limited to:
- Undergraduate Application (including all signatures, essays, and other information requested)
- Undergraduate Counselor Verification Form (request from your online account)
- Two Reference Forms(request from your online account)
- Financial Forms as noted in the Undergraduate Letter (SAR, FAFSA, or Cal Grand Dream Act) if you intend to file these. (Upload to your online account). APPLICATIONS MAY BE SUBMITTED WITHOUT FAFSA INFORMATION UNTIL IT BECOMES AVAILABLE.
- Transcripts (Upload to your online account)
- Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
What formats are acceptable to upload documents on to the online application tool?
The document types you can use to upload documents are pdf, doc, xlsx.
Please do not upload jpg, png, or other types of documents.
What are the deadlines for applying?
The deadlines are published in the key events and undergraduate letter above.
How do I complete the forms?
Instructions are published in the undergraduate letter above.
Can I submit a printed version of the application?
No. All applications must be completed through the online portal. If you cannot, please contact applications@kennedyking.org
Are there any online instructions on how to complete the application?
All of the information needed to complete the application is located on this page. If you have additional questions, please contact applications@kennedyking.org
In addition, you can view a presentation we gave to prospective applicants sponsored by LMC (view here) that provides an overview of the scholarship, insights on the application process by a former applicant, and an overview on how to navigate the on-line application.