KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE
Here at Tennis Success, we believe every student should have the opportunity to go to college and we want to do our part by offering the Cleveland Gilcrease scholarship to the kids in our program.
By The Numbers
Tennis Success is thrilled with our students who have defied the statistics. Nationally, as reported by the Washington Post in 2018, only 14% of students from low-income families who enter college actually graduate with a bachelor’s degree. However, Tennis Success students currently boast a whopping 63% graduation rate!
Since Fall 2011, the program has dispersed $154,950 in scholarships. These are awarded every semester to those who maintain their grades and credit hours. Talk about a return on investment – Tennis Success couldn’t be happier about the difference this program is making.
Our Purpose
This scholarship was established in 2011 in recognition of a profound community volunteer, Coach Cleveland Gilcrease. He has selflessly given his time and guidance to the youth of Corpus Christi, encouraging them to become better citizens and tennis players.
Coach Gilcrease epitomizes the mission statement of Tennis Success, Inc. (TSI) which is to enrich the lives of youth and equip them to serve the community by providing tennis, education and healthy living programs. Tennis Success, Inc. (TSI) awards Cleveland Gilcrease Scholarships to qualifying TSI participants graduating from high school who are planning to attend college and to former TSI participants currently attending college.
Awards
Full-time students
$1,000 per semester
(12 or more semester credit hours)
Part-time students
$500 per semester
(6-11 semester credit hours)
Those students who achieve a semester GPA of 3.0 or higher as a full-time student are eligible to receive a $250 bonus.
Scholarship money distribution is limited to five academic years or 120 credit hours, whichever occurs first, for both full-time and part-time students who maintain a 2.0 GPA the previous semester. Student success is of utmost importance and contact with the scholarship committee is encouraged whenever a need arises.
Recipients are determined by TSI annual scholarship application criteria administered by the TSI scholarship committee.
APPLY
2024 Application deadline:
March 1st, 2024
The deadline for high school seniors to apply is several weeks before the annual Party-at-the-Net fundraiser. The recipients will be announced at the fundraiser.
Two ways to apply!
Apply online using the form below or or submit a Print Application.
Pick up an application from the Education Room of TSI or Download and Print application. Deliver the application with all the required attachments to TSI or mail to: Tennis Success, Inc., PO Box 71647, Corpus Christi, Texas 78467
Required documents:
- Two letters of recommendation (non-TSI related staff)
- Personal essay of 500 words or more, describing how tennis and/or TSI has influenced your life and your decision to attend college. (Typed if submitting printed application)
- Upload a recent head shot photo
- Academic Transcripts:
High School Seniors: (a) Current high school academic transcript. (b) Official academic transcript after completion of the spring semester
Non-High School Seniors: (first time applicants who did not apply during their senior year of high school) Last official academic transcript
Eligibility and Requirements
- Must be a current or former TSI student
- Participated in TSI for at least one complete academic school year
- Attended at least 50% of the practices during senior year
Eligibility to apply is not limited only to graduating high school seniors; those who entered the military or pursued other work options who meet the requirements listed above are encouraged to apply should they decided to enter college.
Students attending college on a full scholarship are not eligible.
Final eligibility is at the discernment of the scholarship committee
For continuing scholarships, past recipients will be notified by the scholarship committee of the submission deadlines. Unofficial transcripts of the fall semester need to be submitted to the committee to receive money for the spring semester. Sealed official transcripts MUST be mailed from the colleges to TSI after the spring semester in order to be eligible for continued support for the fall semester. No application or paperwork is needed.
If a student fails to meet the minimum requirements for the semester, he/she must visit with the scholarship committee and identify what caused the poor performance and what will be done to correct it. The student will be placed on probation for the upcoming semester. Should the student fail to meet the minimum requirements a second consecutive semester, he/she will not be eligible to receive a scholarship for one year.
If a student drops out of school and later decides to return to college, this student will be eligible to re-apply after 12 calendar months of dropping out of school.