Honoring leadership that begins with responsibility and continues through service
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The Soulever Presidential Scholarship recognizes students who accepted significant leadership responsibility before entering college and continue to demonstrate the character, discipline, and judgment required to lead others well.
The scholarship honors students who previously served as a high school band president or band captain and understand that leadership is more than holding a title. It is the responsibility to represent others, establish a standard of excellence, communicate effectively, make difficult decisions, and serve the entire organization.
The Soulever Presidential Scholarship was established to recognize students who have already experienced the responsibility of formal leadership within a high school band program.
Serving as a band president or band captain requires more than visibility. It requires accountability, sound judgment, communication, reliability, and the ability to place the needs of the organization above personal recognition.
This scholarship identifies students who carried that responsibility in high school and are prepared to continue leading with integrity and purpose within the collegiate Band Program.
The scholarship does not reward a title alone. It recognizes what students did with the responsibility entrusted to them.
Applicants must:
Applicants must submit a signed letter of recommendation from their high school band director as part of their application package.
The letter serves two purposes: it verifies the applicant's leadership service and provides the band director's professional recommendation of the applicant for this scholarship.
The letter must:
The letter must include the band director's full name, professional title, school name, professional email address, telephone number, and signature. It must be submitted on official school or band-program letterhead.
Applications submitted without the required recommendation letter will be considered incomplete.
If the applicant's former high school band director is unavailable, the current or successor head band director may verify the applicant's service using official school or band-program records. When the verifying director did not personally supervise the applicant, the Soulever Foundation may require an additional recommendation from a qualified former band staff member or authorized school official who can speak credibly about the applicant's leadership, character, and reliability. Applicants using this alternative process must contact the Soulever Foundation before submitting their application materials.
Students apply directly for the Soulever Presidential Scholarship.
The Soulever Foundation will verify all required eligibility, academic, Band Program, recommendation, and leadership information submitted as part of the application.
Complete, eligible, and verified applications are reviewed by the Foundation's Special Scholarship Committee.
The committee evaluates each applicant's:
The Special Scholarship Committee selects one or more recipients according to the Soulever Foundation's approved scholarship-review process.
The Soulever Presidential Scholarship recognizes applicants who most fully demonstrate that leadership is not defined by position alone.
Each selected applicant should show a record of accepting responsibility, representing others with integrity, making thoughtful decisions, and using leadership in service to the entire organization.
Soulever Presidential Scholars are expected to carry those principles forward as members of the collegiate Band Program and the broader University community.
Funds are applied directly toward tuition and fees. Actual award amounts may vary, up to the stated maximum, and will be determined by the Soulever Foundation.
Scholarship awards are contingent upon the availability of funds. The number of scholarships awarded, the amount of each award, and the timing of disbursement may vary based on available funding. No scholarship award is guaranteed until the recipient receives official written confirmation from the Soulever Foundation.
The scholarship may be renewed for a maximum total period of four academic years, including the original award year.
To remain eligible, each recipient must:
All community service hours will be verified.
Community service is required for renewal only. Renewal is not automatic and remains contingent upon each recipient's continued eligibility and the availability of funds.
The scholarship ends for a recipient upon graduation, completion of the four-year maximum, loss of eligibility, or lack of available funding, whichever occurs first.
For questions regarding the scholarship or application process, contact:
The Soulever Presidential Scholarship honors students who understand that leadership is not measured by the prominence of a title, but by the responsibility carried while holding it. It recognizes students prepared to lead with integrity, serve with purpose, accept accountability, and leave every organization stronger than they found it.