The deadline for the Scholarship has been extended to July 6th.

The 11th SongZhuMei (SZM) Scholarship and Financial Aid program, one of the most influential and widely-covered scholarship programs (grades 1-12) with long history in southern California, is now open for applications!

The application deadline has been extended to July 6th. Please submit your applications enthusiastically!

• High School group（Grade 9-12）

•    1st prize (2 persons)：$1,000

•    2nd prize (multi persons)：$500

•    3rd prize (multi persons)：$100

• Middle School group （Grade 6-8）

•    1st prize (2 persons)：$800

•    2nd prize (multi persons)：$300

•    3rd prize (multi persons)：$100

• Elementary School group（Grade 1-5）

•    1st prize (2 person)：$500

•    2nd prize (multi persons)：$200

•    3rd prize (multi persons)：$100

*All awardees will also receive the SongZhuMei (SZM) Scholarship certificate.

About SZM Scholarship:

Established in 2011, the SongZhuMei (SZM) Scholarship was jointly founded by Tsinghua University Alumni Association of Southern California (THUAASC), Peking University Alumni Association of Southern California (PKUAASC) and Chiao-Tung University Alumni Association of Southern California (CTUAASC). Over the years, the SZM Scholarship has bestowed recognition upon over hundreds of students from schools in Southern California. This scholarship aims to inspire young generation of Chinese immigrants (Grade 1-12) to actively participate in volunteerism and community service, cultivating a profound appreciation for Chinese culture, while also acknowledging and celebrating their outstanding achievements.

The 2024 SZM Scholarship program is organized by CUAAASC, and jointly led by Chiao-Tung University Alumni Association of Southern California (CTUAASC), Shandong University Alumni Association of Southern California (SDUAASC), and Xidian University Alumni Association of Southern California (XUAASC). The 2024 SZM Scholarship aims to further its outreach to a broader local Chinese community. Eligibility extends to students whose parent or grandparent is Chinese. Students who were enrolled in Southern California schools (Grades 1-12) during the 2023-2024 academic year are strongly encouraged to apply. We kindly ask for your support in sharing this opportunity with your fellow students. We eagerly await applications from all of you!

To be eligible for the scholarship, the applicant must fulfill ALL the following criteria:

• The applicant must be a full-time student enrolled in a Southern California school (Grades 1-12) during the 2023-2024 academic year.

•At least one biological parent is of Chinese descent or they themselves have 25% or more Chinese blood.

• It is mandatory for all scholarship recipients to attend the Award Ceremony, which will be scheduled on July 27, 2024.  Failure to show up in the Ceremony will result in forfeiture of the award and the scholarship will be presented to the runner up,

• Children of members in Scholarship Organizing Committee and all judges are NOT eligible to apply.

• To ensure diversity and provide opportunities to different individuals, we kindly request that first prize winners in 2023 refrain from submitting applications in the same category for this year (i.e., first prize winners in the elementary school category, middle school category, or high school category are not eligible to apply in the same category, but may apply in the next category; for instance, a 2023 first prize winner in the elementary school category may apply in the middle school category, and a middle school category first prize winner may apply in the high school category).  We appreciate your understanding and look forward to welcoming you in the future.

To apply for the 2024 SZM Scholarship, please carefully follow these steps:

1) Complete and submit the application form by clicking on this link: https://forms.gle/9X65GMyPwC4upUzb7

2) High school group applicants must prepare an essay in English with a maximum word count of 500. The essay topic is: "Do you use social media? In your opinion or from your personal experience, how do social media platforms influence communication, relationships, and self-image among teenagers?” For elementary and middle school group applicants, the essay should also be in English and not exceed 200 words. The essay topic is: " If you could travel to any time in the past or future, where would you go and why?"

3) High school group applicants should provide a scanned copy of their transcript for the past academic year (2023-2024). Middle school and elementary school group applicants should submit a scanned copy of their scorecard for the same period.

4) If you have any additional supporting documents or materials that showcase your achievements or talents over the past two years, such as award certificates, pictures of artworks, or YouTube links, please include them with your application.

5) Please upload a self-introduction (video or audio file, and it should be within 30 seconds, using Chinese will get bonus for evaluation).

1) The scholarship selection committee is composed of members recommended by CUAAASC. All applications will be thoroughly reviewed and assessed based on merit per the grading criteria, ensuring fairness and equity in the evaluation process.

2) The award ceremony and 2024 will be held on July 27, 2024 from 2:00–4:30PM (venue to be determined), all awardees are required to attend in person.

A total of 8 incoming college freshmen in the fall of 2024 will be awarded this Financial Aid-based Scholarship, with $3,000 each.

CUAAASC SongZhuMei Financial Aid Applicants must meet ALL the following criteria: 

·       At least one biological parent is of Chinese descent or they themselves have 25% or more Chinese blood.

·       Reside in Southern California.

·       Have an annual household income of less than or equal to 350% of the 2024 Federal Poverty Level (please referred to the table below).  Applicants must submit completed tax returns or tax return transcripts for the most recent two years to the designated CPA of the Education Foundation for verification.

·       Must be an incoming freshman for the fall of 2024, and provide an autobiography, a letter of recommendation, and an admission notice.

·       Submit high school transcripts (non-weighted) with a minimum GPA of 3.0. An SAT score or ACT score is preferred.

·       Children of members in Scholarship Organizing Committee and all judges are NOT eligible for application.

The table below lists the income limits for eligible applicants. These numbers are based on 350% of the 2024 Federal Poverty Level. For example, a family of 3 with a combined household income not exceeding $90,370 would be eligible to apply.

To apply for the CUAAASC SongZhuMei Financial Aid, please follow the steps below:

1) Fill out the application form by clicking on the following link: 

https://forms.gle/o3ykwvRAToTSLxfHA

The selection process for the CUAAASC Financial Aid is designed to ensure fairness and impartiality. Here are the steps involved:

1)      The judging panel consists of members from CUAAASC Center for Education Foundation board and the 2024 SongZhuMei Scholarship Organizing Committee.

2)      All submitted applications undergo a thorough preliminary review. During this stage, the eligibility and suitability of each application are carefully evaluated.

3)      As part of the selection process, home visits may be conducted for applicants who successfully pass the preliminary review. This allows the panel to gain further insight into the applicants' background and domestic conditionss.

4)      Shortlisted applicants will be invited to participate in a panel interview. This interview provides an opportunity for the judging panel to delve deeper into the qualifications and potential of each candidate.

5)      Following the panel interviews, the judging panel engages in a comprehensive panel discussion and voting process. This collaborative approach ensures a fair and well-rounded evaluation of all applicants.

6)      It is mandatory for scholarship winners to attend the award ceremony. Failure to attend the ceremony will result in the forfeiture of the scholarship, which will then be awarded to the runner-up.

We sincerely invite enterprises to consider sponsoring this program. For detailed information, please refer to the article here: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzI4MjUzNTE3OA==&mid=2247496631&idx=1&sn=fe2f3ec8c82e46cf90202403d01848a7&chksm=eb9ac7d2dced4ec4244e00e5c054fa781f83381dd5dfeefecafddee2ebd3b2ff494adb2a4d04&token=759023424&lang=zh_CN#rd

or contact the individuals listed below：

Ming Zhang, chair of the board of CUAAASC Center for Education, Tel: 310-938-9162

Liza Li, President of Chinese University Alumni Association Alliance of Southern California (CUAAASC), Tel: 626-200-5460

Xudong Jia, Chiao-Tung University Alumni Association of Southern California (CTUAASC), Tel: 909-576-8640

Jessica Liu, President of Shandong University Alumni Association of Southern California (SDUAASC), Tel: 626-400-3476

Yaohui Wang, Xidian University Alumni Association of Southern California (XUAASC), Tel: 626-478-8968

For any sponsorship-related inquiries or to explore partnership opportunities, please reach out to the respective individuals mentioned above. We appreciate your support and contribution to the success of the program.

Lead Organizing Alumni Associations：

•    Chiao-Tung University Alumni Association of Southern California

•    Shandong University Alumni Association of Southern California

•  Xidian University Alumni Association of Southern California

Appendix:

Established in October 2016, the Chinese University Alumni Association Alliance of Southern California (CUAAASC) was founded based on the alumni associations of three universities, Peking University, Tsinghua University and Chiao Tung University. CUAAASC plays a crucial role in connecting alumni from Chinese universities who reside in Southern California. It serves as a dynamic platform for fostering communications, mutual support, exploring shared interests, and exchanging valuable information among alumni. With a network encompassing 75 university alumni associations, CUAAASC boasts a remarkable community of over 50,000 accomplished alumni. This diverse community includes distinguished Chinese Americans who have achieved excellence in a wide array of fields, including senior scientists, architects, musicians, artists, engineers, lawyers, politicians, and more.

Driven by its vision, CUAAASC is committed to serving the community and making significant contributions to society. Through various initiatives, CUAAASC actively supports alumni and endeavors to enhance their personal and professional growth, while also striving to create positive impacts within the broader community.

The Chinese University Alumni Association Alliance of Southern California Education Foundation (hereinafter “the Education Foundation”) is a 501(c)3 charitable foundation affiliated with the Chinese University Alumni Association Alliance of Southern California (CUAAASC).

Incorporated in California in 2020, the mission of the Education Foundation is to enhance excellence and give back to the community by rewarding outstanding and deserving students based on their academic merits and/or financial needs in addition to raising and managing funds to assist in CUAAASC charitable activities for the community.

At present, the working team members of the Education Foundation are composed of investment professionals, fundraising specialists, educators, university professors, business executives, accounting and taxation specialists and legal practitioners. They are all volunteers for the charity work. In particular, these volunteers are alumni who are graduates from top-notch Chinese universities, have experience in studying and working in US, have achieved academic success and settled in Southern California.