2025 Iowa Communications Alliance Scholarship Opportunities
Our mission is to assist students from rural areas across Iowa with financial assistance to pursue higher education and to stay in rural Iowa after graduation.
The Iowa Communications Alliance is pleased to announce the availability of two $2,500 college scholarships. Our mission is to assist students from rural areas across Iowa with financial assistance to pursue higher education and to stay in rural Iowa after graduation.
ELIGIBILITY
Applicants must satisfy all of the following:
- Be a graduating high school senior or a current fulltime undergraduate college/university student who will be continuing their undergraduate education in the 2025-2026 academic year.
- Have a parent, grandparent, or guardian currently employed by or serving as a director or be a current employee of an Iowa Communications Alliance “Voting Member” Company as defined in the Iowa Communications Alliance bylaws.
- Be a resident of Iowa.
- Be accepted by or enrolled in an accredited two or four-year college/university or vocational school.
- Have at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or a 4.0 on a 5.0 scale for a cumulative grade point average.
- Express an interest to live and work in a rural community following graduation.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
- The application can be accessed online at www.iacommunicationsall.org/ica-scholarship-programs and must be completed electronically.
- Complete the scholarship application in full. If any information is incomplete, the application will not be considered.
- Prepare essay responses to 2 of the 3 questions listed below. Your essays should list each question you selected followed by your response. Responses are limited to no more than 400 words per question response. You will upload your essay document as a pdf within the online application form.
- Describe a situation when you faced an obstacle or adversity and how you overcame it.
- How have you made an impact on others in your community?
- How would you define "success" in your post collegiate career?
- Include your most recent grade transcript with social security number masked out.
- Do not include any photographs with your application.
- The application deadline is March 3, 2025.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
- All applications will be reviewed and the winners selected by the Scholarship Committee appointed by the Iowa Communications Alliance Board of Directors.
- Scholarships will be awarded on an annual basis.
- Awards will be paid once proof of enrollment is submitted to the Iowa Communications Alliance, with 50% of the award paid for the Fall semester and 50% paid for the Spring semester.
- Funds will be sent directly to the school in the student’s name.
- Scholarships are not renewable. Recipients of the scholarship are ineligible for future awards.
- Scholarships will be awarded without regard to race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, or disability.
- Incomplete applications will not be considered. Refer to the checklist on the application form to ensure that all components of the application have been fulfilled.
- Scholarship recipients will be selected and notified by May 1.
Please note that all identifying information relating to applicants shall remain anonymous from the Scholarship Committee while in review.
Congratulations to the 2024 ICA Scholarship Recipients
 
Left photo: Andy Randol, Panora Fiber General Manager, with Scholarship Recipient Mia Waddle of Panorama High School
Right photo: Scholarship Recipient Savannah Sexton (front row, middle) with members for the Liberty Communications Staff Team. Savannah is a student at Central College.
Please note, ICA has eliminated the traditional scholarship program that had previously awarded a scholarship to a student who was a customer of an ICA member telecommunications company.
Next Gen Scholars Program
The Iowa Communications Alliance Next Gen Scholars program was created in response to our member companies need for skilled technicians. This program is available to students planning to pursue either the Network Technology - Telecommunications Certificate or the Network Technology - Telecom/Data Communications AAS Degree. The process begins with recruitment, followed by an application and approval process. After the candidates are approved, the Iowa Communications Alliance, a sponsoring ICA member company, DMACC, and student split the tuition costs for the program. The sponsoring company may offer a mentoring program including paid or unpaid internship opportunities while the student attends DMACC. Successful completion of the DMACC program usually qualifies graduates for an interview at the sponsoring company with a competitive salary and excellent advancement potential, though there is no guarantee of employment.
Next Gen Scholars Program Benefits
For the Students include:
- Apply real-world skills and experience to classroom instruction
- Receive support for education expenses
- Be considered for full-time employment
For the Sponsoring Company include:
- Access to motivated students who possess a wide range of skills and potential to complete a rigorous academic and experiential curriculum.
- Opportunity to observe students’ skills and work habits for a possible full-time job after graduation.
- Improve the pipeline of skilled workers for employment
Next Steps for Companies:
- Talk to your local School Counselors.
- Publicize this program and recruit students in your community.
- Click here to download a flyer that you can share with your local schools and high school students.
- Click here to download a Frequently Asked Questions document to share with students.
- Contact the Iowa Communications Alliance to let us know of your initial interest.
Iowa Communications Alliance
Attn: Melissa Primus
4201 Westown Parkway, Suite 130
West Des Moines, IA 50266
In addition to this application, the student must also apply for acceptance to DMACC.
|
