Frequently Asked Questions: Johnson Family Opportunity Fund

    Funding Resources / Johnson Family Opportunity Fund / Frequently Asked Questions

    The following Frequently Asked Questions have been organized based on some of the common types of questions students have about the Johnson Family Opportunity Fund. It is strongly recommended that you review this page prior to submitting your application for funding.

    Johnson Family Opportunity Fund – Eligibility Information:

    Johnson Family Opportunity Fund – Types of Eligible Opportunities

    Johnson Family Opportunity Fund – Overview of Application Process

    Additional Information and Support for Applicants

    Alternate Sources of Funding: Funding at St. Olaf

    Financial Need Eligibility

    Johnson Funding is intended to decrease the barriers caused by a lack of financial support and to provide access to resources, experiences and opportunities to help students navigate the path from college to career.

    Before applying to the Johnson Family Opportunity Fund, it is important that students confirm that they are eligible to apply for funding based on financial need. The following criteria is meant to provide students with basic eligibility information. To confirm your eligibility to apply for Johnson Funding based on level of financial need, students should reach out to the Financial Aid Office by visiting Tomson 120 or via email <finaid@stolaf.edu>.

    Domestic students:
    Financial need is defined by an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $10,000 per year or less.
    *Students who are uncertain about whether or not they qualify based on the criteria above should inquire about their financial eligibility by stopping by the Financial Aid Office in Tomson 120 or emailing <finaid@stolaf.edu>.

    International students:
    – Financial need is defined by a classification of “high need” by the Financial Aid Office.
    *Students who are uncertain about whether or not they qualify based on the criteria above should inquire about their financial eligibility by stopping by the Financial Aid Office in Tomson 120 or emailing <finaid@stolaf.edu>.

    **Students who do not meet the criteria listed above but who have high need for financial assistance AND can provide proof of “extenuating circumstances” which have dramatically altered their family’s income since enrolling at St. Olaf may be considered. Students in this situation should seek pre-approval from the Financial Aid Office by emailing a description of their situation to <finaid@stolaf.edu> at least one week or more before the application deadline.

    Additional Eligibility Guidelines
    • Students must be a junior or senior during the grant period. Experiences occurring during the summer after sophomore year will be considered; experiences occurring after graduation will not be funded.
    • Students must be in good academic standing, not on Academic Probation, when they apply for funding.
    • Students must demonstrate that funding will advance the applicant’s potential for post-graduate success.
    • Students must demonstrate financial need (see above for Financial Need Eligibility guidelines). Preference will be given to students who meet financial need guidelines and are also first-generation college students.
    • Students are eligible to receive a maximum of $5,000 during their time at St. Olaf.
    • Students completing internships on-campus or in situations where the employer would be St. Olaf are not eligible for funding.
    • Students are generally not allowed to complete internships in countries with State Department travel warnings (Level 3 or Level 4). Email <kehrwa1> at least two weeks before the deadline if you would like to apply for special approval to complete an internship in a country with a travel warning.
    • Students will be selected on a competitive basis based on the eligibility guidelines, quality of the experience, and strength of the application. Submitting an application does not guarantee funding. The committee will determine whether or not to fund an application, and whether to partially or fully fund an opportunity based on the strength of the application, as well as other considerations. It is highly recommended that applicants seek feedback on the Description of the Opportunity and Essay portions of the application well in advance of the deadline, and to take the time to edit and improve their application prior to submission.
    Types of Eligible Activities
    • Internships
    • Undergraduate Research Opportunities
    • Career Exploration (shadowing, networking events, etc.)
    • Interview Expenses
    • Graduate and Professional School Preparation and Applications
    • Self-designed internship, shadowing, or related experiences that foster career exploration and personal development (please contact Kristi Kehrwald Adair (kehrwa1@stolaf.edu) or any member of the committee members to discuss your ideas)

    *Coaches in the Piper Center for Vocation & Career and members of the Johnson Family Opportunity Fund Committee are eager to support students in in identifying and pursuing career exploration opportunities, and offering support to students as they apply for funding.

    2018-2019 International & Off-Campus Studies (IOS) Programs *IOS programs occurring after May 2019 will not be considered eligible for Johnson Funding.

    The following programs are the only study abroad programs eligible for Johnson funding this year. These are programs that are designed to give all student participants experiential learning that is directly related to professional practice. IOS program participation after the 2018-2019 Academic Year will not be considered an eligible expense, and participants will not be eligible to apply for Johnson Funding.

    Interim Programs
    Art 246: New York Art Interim
    Biology 284: Peruvian Medical Experience
    Education 170: Urban Schools & Communities
    Education 378: Multicultural Education in Hawaii
    ID 140: Health & Social Inequality

    Semester Programs
    Student Teaching in India
    Chicago Semester Student Teaching
    Social Work in Mexico
    National Theater Institute

    Funding Guidelines

    Students apply to receive funding to cover “expenses” (i.e., housing, food, transportation, application fees, etc.) that exceed “sources of support” (i.e., compensation/stipend, other scholarships, etc.) as detailed in the JFOF Budget Worksheet (below). Students should apply for funding during the application cycle prior to the beginning of the opportunity related to their application.

    *Students requesting support for a summer internship or research experience that requires at least 300 hours over at least 8 weeks are eligible to receive an additional $1500 (beyond the difference between “expenses” and “sources of support”). Use budget worksheet to determine eligibility

    Eligible Expenses

    The following list is not exhaustive, but is meant to provide potential applicants with basic information about some of the common expenses that will be considered eligible for Johnson Funding. There is no guarantee of funding to any applicant, and the expenses included below may or may not be funded when included in a Johnson Funding application, based on the discretion of the Johnson Committee:

    • Expenses related to housing throughout the duration of the opportunity (hotel or rental fees)
    • Food (maximum is typically $50/week)
    • Transportation costs (transportation to site, daily commute; maximum is typically $500)
    • Costs associated with travel (including fees related to visas)
    • Professional Clothing (maximum is typically $200)
    Ineligible Expenses

    The following list is not exhaustive, but is meant to provide potential applicants with basic information about some of the common expenses that are not considered eligible for Johnson Funding:

    • Car Insurance or maintenance expenses
    • Medical Insurance, medication of any kind
    • Laptops, cell phones, other materials (including supplies to be utilized in the course of your internship or other opportunity)
    • In addition to the ineligible expenses outlined here, the committee may also assign a maximum expense for various eligible expenses.
    Application Deadlines and Timeline of Notification

    *Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the entire website and consult with Kristi Kehrwald Adair (kehrwa1), or another member of the JFOF Committee well in advance of the deadline. Late applications will not be accepted.

    Upcoming Deadlines: FALL 2018 Application Deadlines

    – Tuesday, October 23, 2018
    – Tuesday, November 27, 2018

    SPRING 2019 Application Deadlines

    – Tuesday, April 2, 2019
    – Tuesday, April 30, 2019

    Applications will be reviewed after each deadline. Applicants will be notified if they have been selected for funding within two weeks of the application deadline. If the student returns all forms on time the recipients will typically receive funding within three to four weeks after the application deadline.

    Application Process and Required Documents

    Please consult staff in the Piper Center or any of the Johnson committee members if you have any questions.

    1. Secure a qualified opportunity (internship, research experience, job interview, career exploration experience, grad school visit or application, etc.). Utilize the Piper Center for assistance.

    2. Document your opportunity
    2a. For students completing internship or undergraduate research experiences
    Secure and print written confirmation (letter or email) of your experience from your internship or research site that includes the following:

    • addressed to the intern and including the site supervisor’s name and title;
    • a brief summary of your role/responsibilities (bullet points are sufficient);
    • confirmation of start and end dates and time commitment;
    • must appear on the employer’s letterhead or be sent directly from your supervisor’s work email

    2b. For students completing other experiences (career exploration, grad school preparation or application, job interview, etc.) 
    If possible, secure and print documentation that you have been selected for the experience.

    3. Complete the Johnson Budget Worksheet
    Students must complete the Budget Worksheet before completing the Online Application.

    4. Complete the Online Application
    The JFOF Application Worksheet allows you to preview the questions that will be asked on the form.

    5. Print your Resume
    If you need assistance starting or updating a resume, please stop by the Piper Center to meet with a Peer Advisor and use the Piper Center Resume Resources.

    6. Deliver Application Packet to the Piper Center
    Packet must include hard copies of the following documents delivered to the Piper Center by 4:30pm on the due date:

    • Confirmation Letter or Email (see criteria above)
    • Budget Worksheet
    • Resume

    NOTE:  INCOMPLETE PACKETS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED
    *Students who are currently abroad have the option to email electronic copies of the four documents to <piper.center@stolaf.edu>

    7. Await Notification from the Piper Center
    Within eight business days of the application deadline, students will be notified via email about whether or not they received funding.

    8. Submit Payment Documents (only those that are selected for an award)
    Students who are awarded funding will receive several documents that need to be signed and returned to the Piper Center in order to receive payment.

    9. Internship Orientation (required for students receiving funding to complete an summer or Interim internship)
    Orientations for Interim internships are TBD.

    Additional Application Assistance:
    As you prepare to apply for funding, please know that faculty and staff are glad to answer questions or assist with the application process. Kristi Kehrwald Adair (kehrwa1@stolaf.edu) in the Piper Center is the main point of contact for support regarding JFOF, and manages the application process for this award. Members of the Johnson Family Opportunity Fund Committee (below), as well as Piper Center Peer Advisors and coaching staff are also happy to be a resource to you throughout the application process. Peer Advisors are available to meet with you (no appointments needed) from 8 am – 5 pm, Monday through Friday in the Piper Center for Vocation and Career, located in Tomson 270. Appointments with coaches in the Piper Center can be made via Handshake, or by stopping in to the office where a Peer Advisor will be happy to assist you.