Established in 2024, the Whittier Civic Scholars Program (WCSP) offers students a scholarship and pairs them with leaders in their community to cultivate the next generation of civic, community, and business leaders for the greater Whittier area.
WCSP is committed to community-driven initiatives and will support a cohort of 10 newly admitted students from Whittier Union High School District (WUHSD), local Whittier private schools, or homeschooled Whittier residents with a $5,000 scholarship from the City of Whittier, plus a $5,000 matching scholarship from Whittier College. WCSP is a collaboration between Whittier College and Whittier Union High School District.
The Whittier Civic Scholars Program scholarship is renewable for up to four years of continuous study at Whittier College, provided the recipient maintains full-time enrollment (at least 12 units per semester), good academic standing (minimum 3.0 GPA), and meets the scholarship's unique requirements.
Criteria
- Be a City of Whittier resident who is completing high school or achieving a high school equivalent diploma
- Be admitted to Whittier College
- Demonstrate the desire to be active citizens and effective communicators who act with integrity
- Demonstrate commitment to service, especially within the greater Whittier area (e.g., Student Chamber of Commerce, service club)
- Display leadership ability (e.g., volunteer work, co-curricular activities in high school, athletics, etc.)
- Have a minimum high school GPA of 3.4
Program Curriculum
Through the three main components—programming, mentoring, and personal development—the curriculum focuses on:
- Learning what's necessary to produce successful programs, such as orientation events, local community events, and more
- Bridging connections with local community leaders, such as mentorship and shadowing opportunities with local leaders
- Creating a professional development plan tailored to each student, such as a plan that allows for progressively increasing responsibilities regarding civic outreach and organizations
