Jackson EMC is accepting applications for the annual Walter Harrison Scholarship – an opportunity for students pursuing a post-secondary education at Georgia colleges and technical schools to receive a $1,000 academic scholarship. Applications are due by January 31, 2023.

Applicants must be accepted, or enrolled currently, as a full- or part-time student, at any accredited two- or four-year university, college or vocational-technical institution in Georgia. Students must live in a primary residence served by Jackson EMC.

Last school year, Jackson EMC nominated Makenzie Clark of Jefferson and Samuel Esowhode of Lawrenceville to compete with 78 other students across Georgia for a $1,000 scholarship. Both Clark and Esowhode were selected.

Clark, who developed a passion for veterinary medicine as a work-based learning student at Jefferson High School, is currently a student at Gwinnett Technical College pursuing an associate degree in veterinary technology. “The veterinary field is rapidly expanding, but there is a shortage of veterinary techs,” she said. “This scholarship enables me to advance my studies and positively affect the well-care of all animals.”

The scholarship is merit-based, and school performance, grade point average, scholastic honors, extracurricular activities, and financial need are all considered by the selection committee. Students must complete an application and submit a brief essay explaining why they would be good candidates to receive the scholarship and outlining their educational careers, and any special circumstances for consideration. Students could use this opportunity to highlight community involvement or a desire to serve others.

The scholarship, created in 1985, is named in honor of Walter Harrison, a pioneer in the rural electricity movement and a leader in electric cooperative programs at the local, state and national levels. It is funded by Georgia’s 41 electric cooperatives, including Jackson EMC, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and the Georgia Rural Electric Supply Corp. Established in 1985, the Walter Harrison Scholarship Fund has distributed $250,500 to 261 students in Georgia.

For more information, including how students can apply, visit jacksonemc.com/walterharrisonscholarship.