Frequently Asked Questions              

What are the Building a Lasting Legacy Campaign Institute Scholarships? 
NAEYC established the Building a Lasting Legacy Scholarships to give future leaders the opportunity to develop skills needed to advance the field of early childhood education. These merit-based awards provide five recipients with free registration to attend the 21st National Institute for Early Childhood Professional Development in Indianapolis, Indiana from June 10–13, 2012. One additional applicant will receive the Diane Trister Dodge Building a Lasting Legacy Institute Scholarship, which provides reimbursement for registration, travel, meals, and housing costs.

How do I apply for a scholarship?
To apply, you must submit a fully completed application and recommendation by 11:59 p.m. on March 12, 2012. 

Who can apply for a scholarship?

• You must be a member of NAEYC to apply for a scholarship.
• If you are speaking or presenting at the 2012 Institute, you are not eligible to apply for a scholarship.
• If you are an NAEYC vendor, you are not eligible to apply for a scholarship.

What are the application requirements?

• All fields on the application must be completed.
• All applicants must provide a recommendation from a professional reference, such as a current or former supervisor, colleague, or professor.
• Applications that are incomplete, late, or do not have a letter of recommendation will not be considered.
• Applications must be submitted electronically. Handwritten applications will not be accepted.

If I am awarded one of the scholarships, what is expected of me?
NAEYC staff several host informational meetings at the Institute for scholarship recipients to network and share experiences. These meetings are required. By submitting this application, you agree to attend the following meetings if you are selected to receive a scholarship.

• Orientation meeting, Sunday, June 10, Time TBD
• Opening General Session and Keynote Address, Sunday, June 10, Time TBD (Scholarship recipients will be recognized as a group during this session, so they must sit with other recipients in a special section.)
• Wrap-up meeting, Tuesday, June 12, Time TBD

In addition to these events, scholarship recipients will be asked to take several group photos, which NAEYC will use in future promotional and marketing materials. Scholarship recipients are also asked to write a brief statement about their experience at the Institute that NAEYC can use in future promotional materials. 

If I am planning on applying for a scholarship, should I register for the Institute now?
If you plan to attend the Institute whether or not you receive a scholarship, you are encouraged to register early and take advantage of Early Bird Registration, which ends April 6, 2012. If you are selected to receive a scholarship, NAEYC will reimburse you for registration costs.

What do I need to know about the letter of recommendation? 
One letter of recommendation written by a supervisor or professional colleague is required and must be submitted with your application.  If your application does not have a letter of recommendation, it will not be considered. Applicants are encouraged to request a letter of recommendation from a professional reference as soon as possible so that the recommender will have sufficient time to complete the form and submit it by the March 12, 2012 due date. 

Where are the application form and recommendation forms located?
Because the deadline to submit these materials has passed, these forms are no longer available.

If I applied for a scholarship, when will I find out if I received it? 
All applicants will be notified about the status of their applications by April 23, 2012.

Who do I contact if I have questions? 
Please contact Cathy Kennedy if you have additional questions.