St. Patrick Catholic Church
Telluride Colorado
Catholic Discipleship and Service-Leader Scholarship
St Patrick’s provides scholarships to local high school students who have demonstrated outstanding Catholic Discipleship through active participation in their Sacramental life and service leadership in the parish and local community. The scholarship honors those students who have committed themselves to living their Catholic Christian faith by being of service to their family, parish, and community. Furthermore, the scholarship is intended to encourage students to continue to grow their faith and their Catholic discipleship through leadership, service and parish participation throughout their college years and into adulthood.
Successful scholarship applicants will have actively participated as a youth in the Telluride-region Catholic community and demonstrated a strong ability to uphold their faith despite outside social pressures. They must show an active presence in the Church through their consistent participation in the Sacraments and St. Patrick’s/Our Lady of Sorrows parish life and youth events. Candidates must be Confirmed and attend Holy Mass regularly.
In addition, by showing academic progress and leadership at college, students may apply for up to three additional years of continued support. Successive years of support are awarded based on the student making an impact on their college campus by living, encouraging, and demonstrating conservative, Catholic values.
The goal of the initial and follow-op scholarships is to provide students with courage and hope to influence the world while sharing Christ’s message through servant leadership.
Qualifications for the initial scholarship:
- Enrolling for the first time as a full-time student in post high school education.
- Exhibiting a strong leadership and service role in our parish, community, and school
- Practicing Catholic as demonstrated by active participation at Telluride’s St. Patrick Catholic Church or Nucla’s Our Lady of Sorrows.
- Showing the importance of Catholic life though acts and service such as these:
- Regular attendance at Holy Mass
- Service in the parish: Altar server, music ministry, lector, usher, groundskeeping, etc
- Assisting/volunteering/attending faith formation classes, Bible studies, youth groups, mission trips, etc.
- Intending to lead a Catholic-based life, especially during the upcoming and difficult college years.
- Being a full-time high school senior in a regional high school or homeschool with plans to graduate at the end of the school year.
- Completing application by April 30th of graduating year.
- Providing a complete transcript of the applicant’s high school scholastic record.
Record and description of service hours in the parish and community. At least half of the service hours must be completed to benefit the Parish. Any community service completed outside the parish must include contact information for the supported organization so applicant’s service can be verified. Service Hour Log Example Spreadsheet
Service hours must be demonstrated for every year during high school. More documented service hours per month increases both the initial scholarship and the possible renewals. Each renewal must be earned while in college; details on renewal are covered below. Up to three renewals may be earned.
| Graduating Class Cohort | Initial Scholarship | Annual Renewal |
| 2024-25 with 2 service hrs/mo | $2,500 | $850 |
| 2024-25 with 4 service hrs/mo | $5,000 | $1,600 (*) |
| 2025-26 with 2 service hrs/mo | $2,500 | $1,600 |
| 2025-26 with 4 service hrs/mo | $5,000 | $3,300 |
| 2026-27 with 2 service hrs/mo | $2,500 | $2,500 |
| 2026-27 with 4 service hrs/mo | $5,000 | $5,000 |
*The Scholarship Committee reserves the right to increase the renewal potential of this scholarship for extraordinary and outstanding service
Graduating cohorts past 2026-27 will likely follow the 2026-27 scholarship and renewal numbers. However, future cohorts past 2026-27 are subject to revision.
Renewals for school years two, three, and four.
The scholarship is renewable for students who were awarded the initial scholarship. We must set basic standards and expectations so that we might ensure our investment is valuable and effective.
Qualifications for renewal in year 2, 3, and 4:
- Academic progress towards a degree or certification.
- On-campus service and leadership demonstrating Catholic beliefs.
- On-campus participation in available Christian or Catholic activities such as Campus Ministry, Catholic Student Group, Bible Study, and being part of Newman Center/Program
- Integrating into a new Catholic parish to call home-away-from-home, including a letter of recommendation from that parish’s leadership that scholarship should continue.
- Regularly attending Holy Mass in your new parish community.
- Application completed by April 30th of the year in which you desire annual support.
- Providing a complete transcript of the applicant’s college scholastic record.
- Provide a signed letter with the spring renewal application with contact information from your campus priest or priest where you attend Holy Mass confirming the following:
- Your regular attendance of weekend Mass
- A description of your level of involvement and service in campus/parish ministry, events, services, Bible studies, etc.
In order to receive the renewal payment each year, we must be able to verify your enrollment and that you are meeting active discipleship criteria. In order to verify your enrollment and progress, we will contact you each year of your degree/certificate program to schedule a phone call check-in where we will discuss your progress. We welcome the opportunity to highlight you and your success in our parish. If you do not respond to our communications concerning these check-ins, we will not be able to continue allotting the scholarship money for that semester.
Both the initial scholarship and any renewals are subject to the following terms:
- Funds must be used for post high school education, including trade/technical school, junior college, four year university, or seminary school.
- The scholarship may be used to defray necessary costs of the awardee’s tuition, room or board, books, supplies, and fees.
- Applications will be judged and evaluated on Embodiment of being Catholic, and Service Hours. Financial Need is not considered during evaluation.
- Must be 17 to 22 years of age at time of application. Must be a legal U.S. resident. All scholarships are intended to be used for the year awarded but may be deferred for up to two years if approved in advance.
- Disbursement from the scholarship fund will be made directly to the institution of higher learning at the beginning of the awardee’s enrollment period.
- All awards will be made payable to the institution rather than to the scholarship recipient.
- St Patrick’s accepts no responsibility for decreases of other grant or loan amounts due to the awarding of a scholarship to a recipient. Recipient is solely responsible for all aspects of their financial aid status and, thus, should be aware of the consequences of applying for a scholarship
Details for those selected as scholarship recipients.
After being notified in writing, scholarship recipients must submit the following items:
- Proof of enrollment at the college or university you are/will be attending. E.g., tuition bill, acceptance letter, etc.
- For initial award, proof of high school graduation.
- Payment details:
- Name of institution and a complete, accurate address to which the check will be mailed
- Name of institution and/or person that the check should be made out to, i.e. Bursar’s office, Name of University, etc.
- The Account Number or ID Number that needs to be listed on the check and other correspondence with your school. E.g.., student ID number, social security number and/or college account number.
Revision: October 2024