Midwest Federation Scholarships

The AFMS Scholarship Foundation, authorized in the By-Laws of the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies, was incorporated as a Minnesota Corporation on March 19, 1964. A tax-exempt certificate was obtained from the IRS on November 6, 1964. Its members, the equivalent of stockholders in a commercial corporation, are the directors and officers of the AFMS, totaling eighteen in number. Its members elect its Board of Directors. The management of the Foundation is vested in this board

The Board of Directors elects a President, a Treasurer, and a Secretary, each for a term of two years. The terms are staggered to insure continuity of experienced personnel. The President of AFMS is always the Vice President of the Foundation. It will be seen that the Foundation, while being an independent corporation, is controlled by the American Federation, as it should be.

Suggest a Candidate Donations Founders' Certificates

Previous Winners Prior to 2000 Previous Winners 2000 to Present

PURPOSE

The object of the Foundation is to accumulate a Fund, the income from which is to be used to finance scholarships. The principal cannot be used, hence the usefulness of the Fund is perpetual. Whatever is in the Fund keeps working year after year, indefinitely into the future. The larger it becomes, the more it can do – not only once, but time after time as years go by.

THE FUND

As of October 31, 2003, the market value of the investments of the Foundation stands at just over $865,000.00. The total fund as of October 31, 2002 was $837,524.67. With the exception of a few hundred dollars received from outside organizations, the entire amount has been donated by Earth Science Clubs and Societies throughout the entire nation, and by individual members of such groups. By April 30, 2004, the Midwest Federation had contributed $190,179.72. At the AFMS Annual Meeting, it was reported that the MWF leads all Federations in contributions to the AFMS Scholarship Foundation.

GIFTS

Gifts or contributions to the Fund should be sent to the Midwest Federation Scholarship Committee [see page W-17]. Checks are to be made payable to AFMS Scholarship Fund. All contributions to the AFMS Scholarship Foundation are tax deductible to the donor.

RECOGNITION TO DONORS

Special recognition in the form of Certificates, Seals and Plaques is given to each Federation Club whose contributions equal $1.00 per member or multiples of $1.00 per member. Recognition begins with a 100% Certificate when contributions total $1.00 per member for the total number of club members and continues with 200%, 300% and 400% Seals for attachment to the 100% Certificate, then a Plaque for 500%. A second certificate is awarded at 600%, Seals for 700%, 800% and 900%, another Plaque for 1,000% and so on up the line to 3,000%, with Plaques awarded for each 500% increase. At 4,000% a special Plaque is provided and Plates added for each 500% increase. Individuals and firms receive a "Founders Certificate" for $100 donated. unless donor requests credit to a club of his/her choice. In the latter case, no "Founders Certificate" is issued.

HONORARY AWARDS

Prior to 1972, each of the six regional Federations, through electors appointed by the regional officers, annually selected two persons of prominence in the earth science field. From the twelve persons selected, the Foundation’s Jury of Awards picked the one considered the most noteworthy. This person was privileged to select both the institution and the students to whom the Foundation’s grants were given.

At the annual meeting of the Foundation Directors in Seattle, WA, on Sept. 2, 1971, the Board unanimously voted for a new procedure. The new procedure gives to each of the six regional Federations the privilege of selecting its own Honorary Award Winner, who selects the school(s) and then in full cooperation with that institution(s), chooses the student(s) to receive the scholarship grant(s). This method grants each Federation the privilege of having its own institutions and students as recipients of the Foundation’s grants. This method also serves the Foundation to the best advantage in that it benefits students, yet avoids the enormous task and expense of receiving, sifting and evaluating the innumerable applications which would be necessary if selections were made in the conventional manner.

GRANTS TO STUDENTS

Grants made by the Foundation are restricted to graduate students majoring in one of the earth sciences, since our joint interest lies in this field. Any student working for a master’s degree is presumed to have definitely decided to follow that field for his lifetime vocation, insofar as such a decision is possible.

The first Foundation grant became possible in 1965. It covered two years and totaled $600. In 1966, the grant was also for two years, but increased to $400 per year. In 1967 the grant was further increased to $500 per year. Two students each received one-year grants of $500 to complete their master degrees in 1968.

In 1969 three students were selected, each received a two-year grant of $500 per year. The 1970 Honorary Award Winner was privileged to select five students to receive two-year grants of $500 per year. In 1971 greater revenue made it possible to increase both the amount of the grants as well as the number of students. Six students received two-year grants in the amount of $750 per year.

In 1972 the new operating procedure was put into effect and each Regional Federation chose its own Honorary Award Winner, who then selected a student from an institution within the geographic area of his Federation. Each year six two-year grants were awarded in this manner. The amount of the grant was $750 per year until 1976, when grants were increased to $1,000 per year; the amount was increased in 1982 to $1,250. From 1975 to 1978 three special one-year grants of $1,000 were provided. From 1979 to 1980 the number of grants were increased to ten and in 1981 to twelve, two from each Regional Federation. The gradual increase in the amount of the Scholarship Fund since 1965 and the increasing number of students receiving grants reflect the constant growth of the Fund and the even greater income received from it. The Fund has now achieved over fifteen times its first goal, and we have been providing two two-year scholarship grants of $2,000.00 each year in six of the seven Regional Federations.

A total of 446 students have received grants from the Foundation since the first grant of $300.00 in 1965. The total of these grants has exceeded One Million Dollars, to be exact, $1,102,650.00. This has been accomplished by the generous support of the Foundation by the AFMS societies and their members. Two grants remain on hold for an additional $4,000.00.