Summit Scholarship Application Criteria, Selection Process & Do’s and Don’ts

Who is the Summit Scholarship meant for?

 

Application Criteria

The Summit Scholarship is intended to break down barriers of entry to mountaineering for women, girls, and gender-diverse adventurers from all walks of life. We are looking for outdoor enthusiasts who are aligned with our values, and for whom this type of climb may be a truly extra-ordinary experience

  • The program is designed to break down barriers; it gives priority to applicants with a credible reason for why they aren’t in a position to pay for this type of expedition out-of-pocket (if you ARE in a position to afford a climb like this, take a look at the all-female trips that our partner organization AWExpeditions is offering!)

  • You don’t need prior mountaineering or backcountry experience, but you have to either be in good cardio shape or willing to train hard to get ready

  • Your social media footprint is not a determinant for eligibility. Yes, storytelling is important to attract sponsors and funding for this program… but that’s what *we* do. Your social media following, or lack thereof, does not factor into the selection process.

The ultimate list of scholarship recipients is decided amongst the Summit Scholarship Steering Committee which includes the board of the AWE Summit Scholarship Foundation as well as representatives from program sponsors, partners, and program alumnae.

 

Selection Process

We take the Summit Scholarship recipient selection very seriously. For maximum fairness, we initially consider all applications without identifying information such as name, age, social media, or location.

There are multiple rounds of application reviews where Steering Committee members identify the strongest candidates against the following criteria:

  • Alignment with our mission: You are attuned to the challenges of gender bias, even where it is subtle, and you are keen to be part of making change.

  • Credible financial need: There is a reason why paying for a big adventure out of pocket would be challenging for you in the near future.

  • Transformative potential: Receiving a scholarship means something to you that goes above and beyond simply adding another feather to your adventure cap.

At the very end of the selection process, we reintroduce identifiers such as age & location in order to match finalists to the specific scholarships they have applied for.

Every year, there is a multitude of deserving applicants who are not selected as scholarship recipients. That is why we continue to work hard to expand the available funding and number of scholarships. You can do your part by making a donation (no amount is too small!) or buying a Women of Mountaineering calendar.

Do’s and Don’ts

  • DO give yourself permission to dream. If you’re at all wavering if you’d ever have a shot… yes, this scholarship program is for you!

  • DO submit your application with enough lead time before the deadline, and DON’T ask for exceptions to the application process. If you missed the application deadline, you’ll have to wait until next year.

  • DO reflect on the open-ended essay questions. Answer them with something more substantive than a word or two to give yourself the best chances in the selection process.

  • DON’T feel the need to write a novel. A well-written paragraph or two is usually more powerful than a two page statement. There is a 250 word limit to most of the application’s essay questions.

  • DO share this scholarship program with the women, girls, and gender-diverse adventurers in your life who would value it. A rising tide lifts all boats. We place emphasis on supporting one another over and above any thoughts of competition.

Summit Scholarship Alumna

  • Farah

    Summit Scholarship 2021 | Komo Kulshan / Mount Baker (Washington)

  • Humaira

    Summit Scholarship 2020 | Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)

  • Melissa

    Summit Scholarship 2019 | Island Peak (Nepal)

  • Marisa

    Summit Scholarship 2021 | Mount Shasta (California)

  • Martell

    Summit Scholarship 2021 | Komo Kulshan / Mount Baker (Washington)

  • Samantha

    Summit Scholarship 2020 | Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)

  • Savannah

    Summit Scholarship 2020 | Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)

  • Viviana

    Summit Scholarship 2020 | Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)

  • Alice

    Summit Scholarship 2022 | Mount Shasta Glacier 1 (California)

  • Nazanin

    Summit Scholarship 2022 | Mount Shasta Glacier 2 (California)

  • Emily

    Summit Scholarship 2022 | Paria Canyon (Utah)

  • Sarah

    Summit Scholarship 2022 | Paria Canyon (Utah)

  • Joy

    Summit Scholarship 2022 | Ishinca & Tocllaraju (Peru)

  • Clara

    Summit Scholarship 2022 | Ishinca & Tocllaraju (Peru)

  • Rachel

    Summit Scholarship 2022 | Aconcagua (Argentina)

  • Alyssa

    Summit Scholarship 2023 | Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)

  • Margie

    Margie

    Summit Scholarship 2023 | Mt Kosciuszko (Australia)

  • Thale

    Summit Scholarship 2023 | Ishinca & Tocllaraju (Peru)

  • Elaine

    Summit Scholarship 2023 | Paria Canyon (Utah)

  • Callie

    Summit Scholarship 2023 | Komo Kulshan / Mount Baker (USA)

  • Mendo

    Summit Scholarship 2023 | Komo Kulshan / Mount Baker (USA)

  • Ava

    Summit Scholarship 2023 | Komo Kulshan / Mount Baker (USA)

  • Char

    Summit Scholarship 2023 | Komo Kulshan / Mount Baker (USA)