Iran Cultural and Educational Center

Iran Arbabi Scholarship Program
2018-2019 Academic Year

Introduction
The Iran Cultural and Educational Center (ICEC) was established in 1989.  ICEC’s mission is to create a nurturing environment that strengthens the sense of connection, pride and appreciation of Iranian culture, heritage and history.

On the occasion of its 25^th Anniversary and in recognition of Khanom Iran Arbabi-Amin’s tireless efforts, dedication and leadership as founder and director of ICEC, the “Iran Arbabi Scholarship Fund” was established. This scholarship is awarded annually to one or more deserving recipients.  

Eligibility Requirements

The Iran Arbabi Scholarship Program provides financial assistance to students of Iranian descent entering or attending an accredited post-secondary institution.  Applicants should be residents of Maryland, Virginia, or the District of Columbia.  Applicants must excel academically.  Applicants must have a verifiable record of participating in activities within the Persian community. The applicant must be a U.S. citizen or be lawfully residing in the United States.  The recipients may use these scholarships to attend an accredited college or university of their choice in Maryland, Virginia, or the District of Columbia. Scholarships are not limited to any specific field or career objective and may be used to pursue any academic discipline.  Scholarships may be used for undergraduate or graduate school.  Applications are screened in the summer by an independent committee that consists of a panel of distinguished scholars and chaired by a member of the ICEC Board of Trustees. Finalists are interviewed by members of the selection committee. Scholarship winners are selected based on the information received through the application and interviews.

Basic Requirements

Applicants should meet the following requirements to be eligible for the Iran Arbabi Scholarship. They must:

• Be of Iranian descent
• Be a U.S. citizen or lawfully reside in the United States
• Submit verification of participation in activities in the Persian community (e.g. attendance at a Farsi language school, participation in Persian art or cultural group (music, dance, theater, etc.), volunteer activities for Persian community based charity, membership in a Persian student association, etc.)
• Attend, or be accepted for attendance at, an accredited American college or university in a full-time undergraduate or graduate degree program.
• Possess a high school diploma, or the recognized equivalent of a high school diploma.
• Have good academic standing (GPA of 3.0 or higher)
• Complete and submit a Scholarship Application Form, including:
  1. Two letters of recommendation; at least one letter should be from a teacher or other school professional
  2. A one page essay about his/her dreams and aspirations
  3. A one page essay : How has your cultural heritage formed the person you are,  and in what way will this serve you as an asset to promote Persian language and culture in the future? 
  4. An official transcript with the school seal on it

Important Application Dates

May 1, 2018 – ICEC starts accepting applications for the 2018-2019 school year. The  Application Form will also be available for download from the ICEC website at http://iraneducationalcenter.org/scholarship-application/

June 15, 2018 – Final postmarked deadline in order to be considered for the 2018-2018 Scholarship Program.  Application materials must be mailed in one packet to:

Iran Abrabi Scholarship Program
Iran Cultural and Educational Center
12030 Gatewater Drive
Potomac, MD 20854

Transcripts and letters of recommendation should not be sent separately. Incomplete, e-mailed, or faxed applications will not be considered.  Winners of the scholarship will be notified by August 31, 2018 and names will be posted on the ICEC web site.

Scholarship Conditions

The Iran Arbabi Scholarships may be used to supplement existing benefits from the student’s college or university, or from other foundations or organizations. Recipients may use the scholarship to cover the costs of tuition, fees, room, and board. Funds are dispersed directly to the college or university.

Financial need may be taken into consideration in awarding a scholarship.  If the Scholarship Committed determines that financial need will be taken into consideration, the applicant may be required to provide financial information at a later time.  Such financial information would include, but necessarily be limited to, federal income tax returns of the applicant.  If the applicant is claimed as a dependent on the federal income tax return of another person, then that other person’s financial resources will be considered in assessing financial need.  DO NOT INCLUDE COPIES OF FEDERAL TAX RETURNS WITH THE APPLICATION PACKET.  IF THEY ARE SUBSEQUENTLY REQUIRED, THE APPLICANT WILL BE SO ADVISED.

A minimum of 1student will be granted an Iran Arbabi Scholarship and will receive $2000.00 for the 2018-2019 school year ($1000.00 for Fall 2018 semester and $1000.00 for Spring 2019 assuming the GPA requirement of 3.0 and full-time status is maintained).  The Iran Arbabi Scholarship is for the 2018-2019 school year only.  ICEC reevaluates the community needs, its funding resources, and adjusts this program on a yearly basis. 

A recipient’s scholarship can be revoked if the student:

• fails to graduate from high school;
• fails to enroll in an institution of higher education in the year for which the scholarship was awarded;
• fails to comply with the rules, regulations or conditions of the institution the student attends; or
• receives the scholarship through error or contrary to law.

Retroactive payment of the scholarship is not permitted.

Dear Friends,

Words cannot convey the extent of our gratitude for your dedication to the ICEC community and to the success of another uplifting Nowruz celebration.

Once again, the current and former students and parents came together to offer our community the most refreshing event in celebration of Nowruz.

Thanks to your dedication, exemplary management and months of group work, the 1397/2018 Nowruz celebration was an event that will stay with our children throughout their lives. Their heartfelt exuberance during the performances reflected their sense of pride in their cultural heritage.

You met regularly prior to the event, assigned the countless tasks to committee members, including food and supply orders, program booklet, tickets, accounting, managing the dining room, welcoming at the doors, photographing and many more. You worked with the county to secure the venue, and coordinated the backstage management with the onstage performances and the sound system. You beautifully decorated the stage, hallways, dining tables, and the Haft Seen Table, and selected the most meaningful poems for the masters of ceremony who clearly enjoyed being on stage. You prepared students for delightful class performances and creatively adapted an epic narrative of Persian mythology that helped the young performers enchant the audience. You skillfully choreographed dances and rehearsed with students of all ages to ensure their impeccable performances on stage, and you selected, arranged and practiced the best pieces of Persian music leading to astounding performances of the young musicians. You created a warm and welcoming environment in the dining room with music, food, without forgetting the Haji Firooz, and you arranged for fire department wonderful volunteers to help during the event. You invited the County Executive whose proclamation recognized Nowruz as a county cultural event. Your efficient coordination and hard work all helped make this year’s Nowruz celebration an exceptional success.

Throughout the years your support has been crucial in strengthening our cultural heritage. The vibrant ICEC community, as we know it today, is testimony to your resolve in preserving our cultural heritage by passing it on to the second and third generations. This year’s Nowruz celebration was another reminder of that resolve for which we are more than thankful to you.

Iran Arbabi

با بهترین شادباش های نوروزی