Pedro Zamora Young Leaders Scholarship

The Pedro Zamora Young Leaders Scholarship is open to all current high school seniors, and college freshman, sophomores and juniors (ages 27 and younger) who demonstrate an active commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS and taking on roles of public service and leadership. Examples include (but are not limited to): serving in peer-education and prevention programs; working in the reproductive-health and sexual health field; pursuing a medical degree to work with HIV-positive individuals; international service providing AIDS-related care and/or HIV-prevention education; research in established and emerging technologies designed to mitigate the epidemic; or activism and social change efforts that address issues contributing to the epidemic, like education and drug sentencing reform, employment and economic justice issues, housing and homelessness. All applicants must describe their current leadership efforts/experience, its significance to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, as well as how their future career plans or public service will be an extension of their current efforts. Applicants must provide at least one letter of recommendation from a teacher, program coordinator, supervisor/ally/community leader who is directly involved in their HIV/AIDS-related service, leadership, or field of study. A panel of community leaders will judge the applications. Submissions must include the following five items: 1. A complete application; 2. A brief personal statement (not to exceed 500 words) describing some of the ways that you provide service and/or leadership in the fight against HIV/AIDS and how your studies, career plans, or public service will contribute to the fight against HIV/AIDS; 3. A written essay, not to exceed 1,500 words, in which you reflect on the ways in which your life has been impacted by HIV/AIDS; explore and describe the ways in which you are providing public service or leadership that makes a difference in the lives of people with HIV/AIDS, or people at risk; and detail how the scholarship will help you in your career path and how that career will allow you to continue to fight HIV/AIDS in a way that makes a difference; 4. At least one written letter of recommendation from a teacher, program coordinator, supervisor/ally/community leader or other adult who is directly involved in your HIV/AIDS-related service, leadership, or field of study; 5. A transcript from current high school or college that demonstrates a minimum 2.5 GPA overall, or in the immediate past two semesters or three trimesters.