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Become a scholar

The Full Spectrum Scholarship Fund awards educational scholarships to LGBTQ cannabis students who are committed to making a difference in the cannabis industry and community.

As a Full Spectrum Scholar, you:
  1. receive money for tuition and fees mailed directly to your university/college.
  2. become a part of our growing scholar family and form lasting bonds with other LGBTQ cannabis change makers have access to leadership development training and skill building opportunities.
  3. are supported by LGBT and allied cannabis business leaders, small business owners, elected officials, nonprofit executives, educators and corporate partners.

As a Full Spectrum Scholar, you are receiving more than a monetary award. Scholars are chosen for their proven leadership skills, strong academic achievement and commitment to making a positive difference in the cannabis community. We want you, as a Full Spectrum Scholar, to take advantage of the many resources available to you through our membership and community connections. 

The Full Spectrum’s Commitment to You
  1. We will provide complimentary access to all Full Spectrum networking events. We will also provide opportunities to attend our annual galas at a reduced cost or as a volunteer.
  2. We plan to invest in your leadership development throughout your time as a Full Spectrum Scholar. Leadership programs are being developed on a continuous basis and will be offered at various times throughout the year.
  3. We want to connect you with resources in our community. We will make every effort to connect you with supportive people and organizations, especially those who can help further your professional development. We encourage you to reach out to us and provide feedback.

Step 1: Determine Eligibility

Eligibility For The 2023 Scholarship Cycle:

  • Must be a United States resident.
  • Must be 21 years of age.
  • May be enrolled in any cannabis-specific accredited courses, or the Medical Consultation Certification Program of Washington State.
  • May study at any accredited college or university.

**THE FULL SPECTRUM SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM DOES NOT SUPPORT NON-CANNABIS SPECIFIC PROGRAMS AT THIS TIME**

Preference is given to students who identify as LGBTQ+, members of LGBTQ+ families, or cisgender/straight allies who have a demonstrated support of the LGBTQ+ cannabis community. All applicants must be able to demonstrate a commitment to the cannabis community. The Full Spectrum Scholarship application includes an essay in which applicants are asked to describe their involvement and leadership within the cannabis community.

Students should be enrolled in community colleges, four-year public or private colleges or universities, or vocational/technical/trade programs.

Current college students and individuals planning to enroll in a program next year are eligible.

Individuals not planning to enroll in higher education next year are not eligible.

Step 2: Apply

2023 Scholarship Cycle Application Dates
Applications Open: October, 2022
Applications Close: January, 2023

Application Tips:
Must have a gmail/google account to start the application.
Use the name and pronouns you identify with.
Have someone review your materials before you submit.

Essay Tips:

  • Make it personal and passionate – Writing what you think we want to hear is not the same as writing who you truly are. Be authentic.
  • Put in your unique interests and perspectives.
  • Follow instructions.
  • Get organized.
  • Prepare your essay responses in advance. The application will auto-save your responses as long as you’re signed in to a google account.
  • Have someone review before sending.

Essay Questions:

Biography (75 words max) Write a statement introducing yourself in third person. Use the name and pronouns you would like to be used publicly.

  • Where are you from?
  • Where do you live now?
  • Where are you going or plan to go to school?
  • What do you plan to study/ what is your major?
  • Briefly describe a career and/or life goal related to  cannabis community/issues.

Personal Statement (500 words max) 
Tell us what defines who you are, and what we should know about you that we cannot read elsewhere. 

  • Why pursue this education?
  • What are your career plans?
  • How will this pursuit expand your leadership skills?
  • Describe a character defining moment for you.
  • What makes you unique and special?

Leadership Within The Cannabis Community (500 words max) 

  • What has been your involvement in the cannabis  community?
  • How will you actively serve as a cannabis leader within your community?
  • Describe how you have shown leadership within the cannabis community.

Financial  Circumstances (500 words max) 

  • What are your needs?
  • What are your costs?
  • Do you have other financial responsibilities?
  • What is your strategy for funding your education?


Required Application Materials:

  • Most recent official or unofficial academic transcript. High school or college.
  • Resumé

Optional Application Materials:

  • One Letter of Recommendation

Step 3: Wait

A team of scholarship application review volunteers will individually review and rate each application on the basis of the evaluation criteria. Each team will then select the individuals they feel best exemplify the selection criteria. ALL applicants will be notified in late March to let them know whether or not they have been invited to interview. If you have questions about the status of your application, please contact the Full Spectrum Scholarship team.

Step 4: Interview & Selection

Applicants who are selected as semi-finalists, will be invited to interview in early-April. The team of volunteer interviewers will then make their selection as to who will be awarded a Full Spectrum Scholarship. Scholars will be awarded at The Full Spectrums’s annual Scholars Gala in mid-May.

Evaluation Criteria

The Full Spectrum Scholarship Fund considers six areas of evaluation when reviewing scholarship applications.

Academic and Career Goals
  • Does the applicant show an academic aptitude and have the motivation for academic success? Is there strong evidence of it throughout their educational and/or career path? Do they have a passion for their vocation?
LGBTQ Community
  • It is the mission of The Full Spectrum to enhance and sustain LGBTQ diversity, inclusion and access within the cannabis industry and community. Does the applicant identify as LGBTQ, do they have family of someone who is LGBTQ, or are they a cisgender/straight ally with demonstrated support to the LGBTQ cannabis community?
Cannabis Community
  •  Most applicants demonstrate a knowledge of and involvement in the cannabis community. Do they explain how they came to be involved and what values they have learned from that involvement? If their situation does not allow for such opportunities, do they have other priorities that supersede such involvement? Have they expressed these priorities?
Leadership

  • Supporting current and future leaders is a fundamental tenant of our scholarship program. Does the applicant demonstrate leadership capabilities in traditional or non-traditional ways? Do they seek out opportunities and show the capacity to motivate/educate themselves and others? 

Challenges

  • Many applicants have dealt with challenges in their lives, but most important is how they have addressed and/or overcame these challenges. Did the applicant provide an example of one challenge they may have faced? Did they express how they addressed, persevered, and/or overcame this particular challenge or how they are continuing to address it?

Additional Barriers

  • LGBTQ people often experience oppression, which can be compounded by their inclusion in multiple marginalized communities. A core philosophy of The Full Spectrum is expanding the level of access to cannabis education among all LGBTQ people and allies, including people who are economically, racially, socially, geographically, or politically disenfranchised. Does the applicant identify within one or more communities that might further intensify their marginalization?

The 2023 Scholarship Cycle: National Expansion & Inclusion of All Cannabis-Specific Education Programs
For the 2023-2024 school year:
Applications Open: October 1st at 10AM PST
Applications Close: January 30th at 5PM PST

 

2023 SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION

FAQ

Do I have to be a US citizen to apply?
No, The Full Spectrum doesn’t check citizenship status when reviewing applications.

Is there an age requirement?
Students must be 21 years of age by 6/01/23 to qualify for the 2023 Scholarship Cycle. 

What can I use my scholarship for?
You can apply your scholarship towards any of the following: tuition, student fees, on-campus room and board, study abroad programs, and books. Checks can only be made out to your school and credited to your student account. Funds cannot be sent directly to students.

How strict is the due date?
To be fair to applicants, we are very strict on the due date. We cannot accept late applications or materials under any circumstances. The Full Spectrum isn’t responsible for hardware malfunctions, bad internet connections, or other conditions which might prevent applicants submitting from an application on time.

I want to go to school outside of the US. Can I still apply?
Beginning in the 2023 Scholarship Cycle, yes, as long as the school is an accredited educational institution and you meet our residency requirements, you can attend school anywhere.

What are the residency requirements?
*Applicants are considered a resident if they:
Currently live in that state and have done so for at least three months prior to the application deadline; 
or have lived in that state for at least one year at any time in the five years prior to the application deadline; 
or have lived in that state for more than one year at any time and have been continuously enrolled in an accredited academic institution for the five years prior to the application deadline.

I haven’t been to school in several years. My transcript isn’t electronic.
A scanned copy of your transcript works great! Students with narrative transcripts should only include the latest document.

Why are my essays cut off? I pasted more text than that into the application?
Each essay has a maximum word length, generally from 250 to 500 words.  The application will not accept text over that limit, even if pasted from another source.

Why won’t my application submit?
Any errors will be flagged in red when you go to submit. Correct the error(s) and re-submit. A confirmation text screen will appear and an email notification with additional information will be sent immediately upon successful submission of the application.

Did my application go through?
If your confirmation email does not arrive, check your junk-mail folder for the misplaced email. If necessary, make sure that you completed the submission steps. A final review of your application must be accepted by you before the submission is final. If neither option above corrects the problem, contact us to confirm your submission.

If I have questions, where do I go?
Please email us at thefullspectrumcannabis@gmail.com.

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