CSU Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement

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Program Description and Benefits: 

The CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement is a merit based award to recognize CSU students who have overcome adversity, have demonstrable financial need, and attributes of merit including superior academic performance, significant personal achievements, and exemplary community service. Twenty scholarships of $7,000 each are awarded annually. Trustees’ Awards include the $8,000 Galinson for exemplary public service. The highest scoring recipient, designated the Trustee Emeritus Ali C. Razi Scholar, receives an $18,000 award.

Application Process: 

Applicants must submit the following materials together to SF State's Fellowships Office by uploading them to their personal SF State “Box” account, and then emailing a link to their “TRUSTEES AWARD APPLICATION FILE” Folder to fellows1@sfsu.edu by the campus deadline: a complete application, including (1) personal statement; (2) a short biography; (3) a video-recording of the 3-minute speech; (4) a written version of a 3-minute speech containing highlights of the personal statement; (5) two letters of recommendation, at least one from a San Francisco State University faculty member–on letterhead, signed, and addressed to the CSU Trustees’ Award Selection Committee; each recommender should send a PDF of their confidential recommendation to fellows1@sfsu.edu with the subject line: YOUR NAME - TRUSTEES’ AWARD RECOMMENDATION; (6) Applicant Information Form; (7) Application Checklist; (8) For U.S. citizens and permanent residents – a copy of your financial aid award letter for the upcoming year (or, if that is not yet available, for the current year); (9) International students and AB540/undocumented students follow a different procedure for documenting financial need; see below.

DOCUMENTING FINANCIAL NEED: Financial Aid determines the financial need of U.S. students based on the FAFSA they have filed. U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents: Submit an email from Financial Aid indicating their financial need for the upcoming academic year. International students and Undocumented/AB540 students: Use the “Financial Need Form for International Students” linked at the bottom of the page at: http://fellowships.sfsu.edu/csu-trustees-award.

For examples of what the biography should contain, see the biographies of prior years' CSU Trustees' Award recipients at: https://www2.calstate.edu/csu-trustee-awards. Click on the "Meet the Awardees" button.

Applicants should record the 3-minute speech on a laptop or smartphone. Please ensure that the image is vertical. If using a smartphone, the "home" button should be on the right side.

The Trustees will select for remote video-interviews nominees being considered for the highest of the awards, which range from $7,000 to $18,000.

Eligibility: 

SF State applicants must be enrolled as a full-time SF State undergraduate or graduate student in any major field; be in good academic standing and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0; demonstrate financial need (see above: "DOCUMENTING FINANCIAL NEED"); and remain a full-time SF State student during the next academic year.

Obligations: 

All recipients of the CSU Trustees’ Award are required to attend the awards ceremony, remotely during the pandemic, and at other times at the Board of Trustees Meeting in Long Beach. Transportation expenses will be covered by the CSU Foundation. The awards presentation are usually held in September.

Award recipients must remain enrolled full-time for both semesters of the upcoming academic year.

Citizenship: 

Students of any nationality, including AB540/undocumented students, may apply.

Program Deadline: 

The CSU systemwide deadline, usually in May, does not apply directly to students, who must apply by the University's campus deadline.

University Deadline: 

A link to the complete application on the student's personal SF State "Box" account must be emailed to fellows1@sfsu.edu by April 5 annually. On the same date, applicants must email Dr. Viveros at fellows1@sfsu.edu to request confirmation that their application has been received.

More information: 

See here examples of CSU Trustees' Awardee biographies. Click on the "Meet the Awardees" button.

Visit the Fellowships Office "Meet Our Fellows" page for a complete list of SF State CSU Trustees' Award winners. Scroll down to "CSU TRUSTEES' AWARD."

How To Apply: 

Applicants must apply for nomination through the University by the campus deadline. Please note that nomination is not guaranteed. Applicants are encouraged to work with the Fellowships Office well in advance of the campus deadline to perfect the personal statement, speech, and other application materials. If you would like to do so, please email Dr. Viveros at fellows1@sfsu.edu for an appointment.

To apply, you will need to download the CSU Trustees Award Application Packet.

In addition, International and AB540/UndocumentedStudents will need to download the Financial Need Form for International Students: These documents are linked here.