E-SCHOLAR
In an effort to increase the number
of minority students who take advantage of federally funded scholarship and
job opportunities, a government agency has created a Web site consolidating
information on such programs.
The site, called
e-Scholar
and designed by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, lists government
scholarships, fellowships, grants, and internships geared to high-school,
undergraduate, and graduate students.
At present, the site features about $400-million in scholarships, according
to Barry K. Williams, a special assistant in the personnel office who is
head of the e-Scholar project. The site will expand as information on
additional programs becomes available, he said on Friday at a news
conference at American University here.
The e-Scholar site contains details on internships for minority students,
opportunities to travel abroad, and specific programs, like the White House
Fellows program.
The site also offers advice on creating résumés that will appeal to
government employers.
Mr. Williams developed e-Scholar after conversations with officials at
historically black colleges, who argued that an online compendium of federal
programs would broaden the pool of applicants.
"I was frustrated by the extent to which applications for federal
scholarships and fellowships were determined by students' access to the
information about them," said Kay Coles James, director of the Office of
Personnel Management.
"This site is an invaluable resource for students of all backgrounds," said
Leonard Spearman, executive director of the White House Initiative on
Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
