Alumni Leadership Scholarship

The Alumni Leadership Scholarship

Thank you for your interest in applying for the Alumni Leadership Scholarship and the Student Alumni Association (SAA). 

About the Scholarship

Created in 1998, the Alumni Leadership Scholarship recognizes and rewards outstanding students who show leadership potential, actively participate in the Lewis & Clark community, and who want to create meaningful connections between students and alumni. Several scholarships in the amount of $1,200 will be awarded* to students by the Board of Alumni. 

*Scholarships are $600 per semester and SAA members are eligible for the scholarship only when they are studying on-campus. (not when studying abroad) Funds are only available as a scholarship. Financial Aid packages and awards can not surpass the amount of tuition. 

Alumni Leadership Scholarship recipients serve as Student Alumni Association Ambassadors. Each ambassador will participate in alumni events and interact with the Board of Alumni, benefiting their personal and professional development while building stronger connections with the alumni community. 

Eligibility

Please read the below carefully to see if you are eligible for the 2026 -2027 Alumni Leadership Scholarship.

Students who meet the following criteria are eligible to apply:

• First-year, sophomore, or junior students at L&C †
• Students who are taking classes on-campus during Fall 2026
• Students who are not under disciplinary probation, terminal probation, or disciplinary suspension with the college

† If you have senior standing, but intend to enroll in courses at Lewis & Clark for two more semesters (not counting Spring 2026), you are eligible.

Scholar Requirements

It is required for all recipients to take an active part in the Student Alumni Association (SAA) and serve as an ambassador between current students and alumni. The SAA Ambassadors help plan and execute meaningful events for students and alumni, and increase the connections between alumni, current students, the Board of Alumni, and the office of Alumni and Parent Engagement.

All SAA ambassadors are expected to:

• Attend a fall retreat (September, 2026. Date TBD), monthly meetings, and an additional Spring semester planning day (January/February 2027, date TBD)
• Co-develop one event per semester outside of regular SAA meetings that connects current students with Lewis & Clark alumni and uses the Strategic Imperatives as a guide for creating the events.
• Take a leadership role in both Homecoming and Family Weekend (October 15 - 18, 2026) and Career Connections with Alumni. (Spring 2027, date TBD) Ambassadors act as representatives of the student body to alumni and parents at both of these events and take on important tasks to make these events successful.
• Communicate in a timely fashion with the SAA President and/or Staff Advisor
• Support your fellow ambassadors and attend SAA events they have planned
• Participate in all other major events with SAA involvement
• Remain a student in good standing both academically and behaviorally 

Scholar Benefits

There are great perks to being an SAA Ambassador and help with tuition is only one of them! You will also get an in-depth understanding of the alumni community and get the opportunity to network with local and national alumni. Over the course of your time as an SAA Ambassador, you will gain valuable leadership experience and professional development including managing and planning events, recruiting and managing volunteers, and professional correspondence. Students who excel as Ambassadors and fulfill the scholarship requirements will be eligible for renewal each year until they graduate without having to reapply.

Application

The Alumni Leadership Scholarship application portal is currently open. The link to the application is at the bottom of this page. Please review the following elements that are required in order to be evaluated:

• A completed application with writing prompts
• Your resume
• A letter of recommendation from a Lewis & Clark Faculty or Staff member. The faculty or staff member writing your letter of recommendation can send it directly to avalley@lclark.edu.

Applications will be reviewed by a committee of Board of Alumni members. Applicants moving forward in the process will be invited for a brief interview with the committee.

Deadline and Submission

Applications for the Alumni Leadership Scholarship are due February 4, 2026 at 12 p.m. (noon Pacific time). Late submissions will not be evaluated.

If you are interested in the 2026 -2027 application process, and you are eligible to apply, please follow this link and fill out our interest form:

2026 - 2027 application

For questions, and for more information, please contact:
Amanda Valley
Associate Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement
avalley@lclark.edu