Staff
Cox Charities is offering $35,000 in college scholarships to high school seniors in the Orange County and Palos Verdes areas. The Cox Scholars scholarships range from $2,500 to $5,000. Recipients must be a 2021 graduating high school senior living in Cox’s Southern California service area.
Applications are now open. Deadline to complete and submit the online application is Feb 3. More information can be found at coxcharitiesca.org.
“Now, more than ever, students in our community are working hard to achieve their educational dreams amid new learning circumstances and tough financial times due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Chanelle Hawken, vice president of government and public affairs for Cox Communications in California. “As a company founded by a teacher, we continue to support local students and education in San Diego and look forward to awarding our annual scholarships in the new year.”

Scholarship recipients will be chosen based on their scholastic achievement, extracurricular activities, volunteerism, and staying focused on their educational goals despite facing adversity in their lives.
“Before you apply, review the scholarship requirements carefully and make sure you’re eligible before spending time putting an application together,” a Cox Charities press release states. “If you don’t meet the requirements such as G.P.A. or place of residence, your application will not be considered.”
Applicants should use tax forms to declare income or give a best estimate if tax forms are unavailable. To be most effective, don’t leave any sections blank, Hawken advises.
“The scholarship committee wants to know what applicants are interested in,” the release states. “Make sure to provide an accurate timeline that includes all activities from the previous four years. Make sure not to repeat information in multiple places.”
For a personal statement, don’t wait until the last minute to put this together, Hawken says.
“Give yourself time to think about the topic, and answer from your own personal experience,” the release states. “The more passionate you are, the better your statement. Ask someone you trust to read it and give feedback. And don’t forget to run a spellcheck.”
Scholarships are funded by employee payroll donations that are matched by the company. A volunteer advisory board of Cox employees oversees the foundation and its giving programs.
In 2020, 10 Cox Scholars from Orange County and Palos Verdes were recognized for their successes in the classroom and in the community.
Discussion about this post