Binc Announces Seven Winners of 2020 Higher Education Scholarships

Seven recipients have been selected to receive a total of $26,000 in scholarships as part of the Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation’s 2020 Higher Education Scholarship Program.
 
The recipients were selected from 42 applicants. Winners are attending colleges and universities in New York, Michigan, Tennessee, Massachusetts, and Arizona. They are studying a wide range of subjects, including music, nursing, aerospace engineering, creative writing, and mathematics.
 
Six $3,500 scholarships were awarded to dependents of booksellers and one $5,000 Karl Pohrt Memorial Scholarship was granted to a current independent bookstore employee who has overcome learning adversity or is a non‐traditional student.
 
The Binc Higher Education scholarships can be used for tuition, fees, books, supplies, and room and board. Since 2001, the Foundation has supported the educational goals of more than 700 booksellers and their families, granting over $2 million in awards.
 
Providing financial assistance to help booksellers’ families achieve their educational and professional dreams is a rewarding part of maintaining the bookseller safety net, according to Binc Executive Director Pam French. “For almost 20 years Binc has helped ease the cost of a college education for booksellers’ families. Reading about the scholarship winners and their educational goals and extracurricular activities is always inspiring — especially this year,” she said. “A big congratulations to all of the students!”
 
Scholarship America (Scholarship Management Services) conducted the third‐party academic selection process to evaluate the scholarship applicants. The evaluation process utilized selection criteria including financial need, prior academic achievement, and leadership capabilities (including participation in school and community activities) as well as work experience, a statement of career and educational goals and objectives, and unusual personal or family circumstances.
 
Further details about the scholarship recipients, including book recommendations and favorite quotes, can be found here. Information about how students can apply for the 2021 Higher Education Scholarship Program will be released early next year.