In partnership with The Patterson Family Foundation, we are pleased to announce the addition of skilled trade scholarships to our program.  

Eligibility Guidelines 

• Rural residents in select Kansas and Missouri counties pursuing a non-medical skilled trade program at one of our participating colleges** 
• Non-traditional students as well as current high school seniors are welcome to apply for this scholarship 

Application Process 

• Our application is closed for 2024. It will re-open in January 2025. Contact Bridget Fitzwater, at bridget@theellisfoundation.org for additional application information.
• If you are a current high school senior, please complete the application in its entirety 
• If you are a non-traditional student, please complete the application as best you can, we recognize some portions of the application are more tailored to high school seniors 
• Application opens on January 1 and will remain open until February 15 
• Not all applicants will be selected for an interview, interviews will be conducted by zoom and finalists will be notified by April 1 

Scholarship Specifics: 

• Scholarship awards are typically up to $4,000 per year, for up to two consecutive years, total amount awarded will depend on whether you are enrolled in a one or two-year program 
• All monies are paid directly to the university for college-billed expenses only  
• We will consider applications for those attending technical schools in Kansas and Missouri, and priority is given to those attending a technical program at one of our participating colleges, this list includes technical schools and community colleges across the state: Partnering Colleges & Universities - The Ellis Foundation 

Qualifying Programs 

• Priority will be given to individuals who are pursuing degrees or certifications in the following fields: 

HVAC 

Plumbing 

Electrical 

Construction 

Welding and Fabrication 

Automotive and Diesel Mechanics 

Aerospace Mechanics 

Commercial Driver’s License Training – CDL 

AutoCAD – Drafting 

Manufacturing Technologies 

Machining 

Masonry 

Robotics – Drones 

Lineman 

Railroad Training 

Carpentry 

Major Appliance Technology 

Early Childhood Education 

**Others approved on a case-by-case basis 

Residency Requirements: 

• Students must have graduated high school or reside within the following counties in Missouri and Kansas.
  • Missouri Counties:

    Andrew, Atchison, Bates, Benton, Caldwell, Carroll, Clinton, Daviess, Dekalb, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Henry, Holt, Lafayette, Livingston, Mercer, Nodaway, Pettis, Ray, Saint Clair, Saline, Vernon, Worth

  • Kansas Counties:

    Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Barber, Barton, Bourbon, Brown, Chase, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Clark, Clay, Cloud, Coffey, Comanche, Cowley, Crawford, Decatur, Dickinson, Doniphan, Edwards, Elk, Ellsworth, Finney, Ford, Franklin, Geary, Gove, Graham, Grant, Gray, Greeley, Greenwood, Hamilton, Harper, Harvey, Haskell, Hodgeman, Jackson, Jefferson, Jewell, Johnson, Kearny, Kingman, Kiowa, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Logan, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, McPherson, Meade, Miami, Mitchell, Montgomery, Morris, Morton, Nemaha, Neosho, Ness, Norton, Osage, Osborne, Ottawa, Pawnee, Phillips, Pottawatomie, Pratt, Rawling, Republic, Rice, Riley, Rooks, Rush, Russell, Scott, Sedgwick, Seward, Shawnee, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, Sumner, Thomas, Trego, Wabaunsee, Wallace, Washington, Wichita, Wilson, Woodson, Wyandotte