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Mid-Rivers Communications is excited to announce the availability of $46,000 in scholarship funds for Eastern & Central Montana students.

Through the Mid-Rivers Fund for Education, which is funded by unclaimed capital credits and donations of capital credits from members, the cooperative will award 28 competitive scholarships and 12 drawing scholarships in 2019. Scholarship categories reflect the mission and values of the cooperative and its members. This year's scholarship program includes five distinct categories:

• Mid-Rivers Higher Education Scholarship - Twenty (20) $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to students attending a four-year educational institution or a technical school, available to both graduating high school seniors and current college students.

• Dawson Community College/Miles Community College Scholarship – In support of local educational institutions in Eastern Montana, up to six (6) $1,500 scholarships will be awarded to students attending Dawson Community College (DCC) or Miles Community College (MCC).

• Mid-Rivers Excellence in Education Scholarship - One (1) major award of $10,000 may be awarded to a highly-qualified student in a field of study related to the Mid-Rivers mission. This award will include an internship with Mid-Rivers in a field and at a location chosen in cooperation with the winning applicant.

• Mid-Rivers Cisco® Award - One (1) $1,000 award to a student enrolling in any Cisco® certification program (such as the CCNA, CCENT, etc.) relevant to the cooperative's workforce needs (learn more at http://www.cisco.com). To help prepare the recipient for success in the certification program, the winning recipient will complete a summer internship with Mid-Rivers prior to starting the course.

• Mid-Rivers Annual Meeting Drawing – Twelve (12) $500 scholarships will be awarded through a drawing of eligible students in attendance at the 2019 Mid-Rivers Annual Meeting on May 30, 2019, in Circle, MT. To qualify, students must attend the meeting with a parent or guardian who is a member of the cooperative, register at the meeting, provide proof of full-time college enrollment for the Fall of 2019, and participate in simple interactive tasks that will be assigned at the Annual Meeting. Registration for the meeting begins at 10AM at the Circle High School Gymnasium, and the meeting begins at 11AM. Students must be present at the time of the drawing to win.

Competitive Scholarships will be awarded based on how well each student's application addresses the following priority areas:

• Plans to enter a field of study related to the Mid-Rivers mission (communications, IT, technology, IP, telemedicine, distance education, etc.)

• Demonstration of specific plans and an authentic desire to return to the Mid-Rivers Service Area in the future.

• Work experience and school and community activities during high school and/or college.

• Unique, inspiring and innovative Personal Statement.

• Grade point average and ACT/SAT test scores.

• Ability to communicate.

Eligible applicants for all categories include graduating high school seniors entering his or her freshman year at a college, university or technical school, and current college, university and technical school students. All applicants must be enrolled as full-time students for the Fall of 2019. Previous scholarship winners (competitive or drawing, and in any year) are ineligible. Applicants must have a parent or guardian who is a member of Mid-Rivers Telephone Cooperative, Inc., with active telephone or Internet service and a completed membership application. Applicants with questions regarding membership status should contact Mid-Rivers as soon as possible (at least 30 days in advance of the deadline) at 1-800-452-2288 to verify eligibility.

Applications must be completed online and are now available at http://www.midrivers.com. Applicants may apply in more than one scholarship category, but each student will only be awarded one scholarship.

The completed form(s) and all required attachments must be submitted online to Mid-Rivers by Monday, April 15, 2019, at 5 p.m. Mountain Time. Only complete applications will be considered. For complete guidelines and the online application form please visit http://www.midrivers.com.