Eligibility:
Candidates eligible for the Bush Scholarship are limited to youth residing in Montana who are currently in foster care or who have transitioned out of the foster care system within 12 months before applying. The candidate must be dedicated to pursuing further education or job force training through traditional educational institutions or trade schools. Candidates must complete and receive a high school diploma (or equivalent) and demonstrate potential for success in post-secondary education or trade school. Proof of enrollment or acceptance to an institution, college, or trade school is required before funds are awarded.
How to Apply
Complete the scholarship application either online, PDF, or paper and submit to the CASA office.
To:
CASA of Yellowstone County
Attn: Bush Scholarship
1201 Grand Ave,
Suite #5
Billings, MT 59102
Or:
casaadmin@yellowstonecasa.org Attn; Bush Scholarship in the subject line.
Include two (2) reference letters supporting the application. Applicants may ask for letters from their CASA volunteer, social worker, teacher, counselor, foster parent/caregiver, employer, or responsible adult that can speak to the youth’s interest, desire, and motivation to attend vocational training or seek a college degree.
Include proof of acceptance to college or trade school.
Candidate Selection Criteria
a. Interest and aptitude for continuing education;
b. Clearly stated vocational, educational, and professional goals;
c. The applicant’s agreement to adhere to the standards and conditions of the Scholarship; and
d. Need and access to alternative resources
Applications are reviewed by the Scholarship Committee which will conduct interviews of candidates and contact them for more information.
This scholarship is awarded as applications come in, with no set deadline. Limited to four students per year.
Award of Scholarship Funds
-The scholarship award is up to $2,500 per semester toward the cost of education or vocational training program.
-Scholarship funds may only be provided or spent towards costs such as tuition, room and board, supplies (e.g, books, lab supplies, trade tools), or other directly related educational-based costs.
-CASA will distribute funds directly to the educational/trade institution.
-Successful candidates will be contacted by the Committee Chair with the scholarship award by e-mail, phone, or both.
The selected applicant will be asked to write a Thank You letter to the Bush Family.
In return for the award of the scholarship the selected applicant must agree to the proper use of
scholarship funds and commit to the educational purpose for which the funds are awarded. The selected applicant must also agree that, if the applicant withdraws or fails out of the program, the scholarship funds provided must be returned to CASA of Yellowstone County on a pro-rated basis.
About:
Dick and Rosalie Bush wish to contribute to the educational opportunities of some of those individuals who might not have the resources to do it on their own. The Bushes, although they no longer live in Billings, lived here from 2010 through 2015 and return to Montana periodically. Additionally, Dick’s grandfather ran an automobile dealership in Billings in the 1920s, his great aunt, Pauline Rich, was the first librarian of MSUB (Eastern) from the late 1920s until the mid-1950s, and his mother was born in Billings in 1929. Dick lived in Cut Bank and Lewistown as a small child. More recently, Rosalie Bush worked as an Advanced Practice Nurse at Billings Clinic in the pediatric pulmonary clinic and Dick did some consulting, volunteered in the Billings school system, taught one marketing course at MSUB, and was a CASA volunteer.
The Bushes recognize the value of a firm educational foundation. Dick is a graduate of the USAF
Academy, UCLA, and Harvard. Rosalie graduated from Loretto Heights College (now part of Regis
University) and Seton Hall University. During their careers, they have lived all over the country before moving from Denver to Billings in 2010 so Rosalie could help establish the Billings Clinic pediatric pulmonary clinic. They retired to Arizona in 2016. While there is already a Pauline H. Rich scholarship at MSUB, the Bushes wish to contribute to the educational opportunities of those individuals who have transitioned out of foster care and may or may not have had a volunteer Court Appointed Advocate or CASA and have the initiative and potential for successful next steps in becoming productive and self-sufficient individuals but may not have all the
resources needed. Their perspective is not to establish an endowment, but to instead provide funds that would be distributed as provided to individuals identified by a selection committee. Their initial commitment is to provide a minimum of $5,000/year for four consecutive years that would be used for one or more applicants as decided by and monitored by the scholarship committee. The funds are not limited to university education and could be used for career training as determined by the committee.
If you would like to make a contribution to provide scholarships for youth, please contact CASA of Yellowstone County’s Executive Director, Drew MacLeod at drew@yellowstonecasa.org or call (406) 259-1233.
