Foundation for Enhancing Communities opens scholarship season; portal, essay tips and AI rules aimed at improving student access

The Foundation for Enhancing Communities (TFEC) launched its scholarship season on Jan. 1 and is urging students to use its free online portal to find and apply to local scholarships. TFEC representative Cindy Sullivan said the portal uses a universal application to match students with eligible awards and now lists "over 200 opportunities at this point."

Sullivan told the Higher Education Access Corner that most TFEC-managed scholarships are need-based and require the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as part of the application packet. "We do require that FAFSA form," she said, adding the FAFSA upload is part of the universal application. Sullivan said students should include the full FAFSA submission summary rather than a single-page screenshot when requested.

To improve chances, TFEC recommends students apply early so staff can return incomplete submissions and give applicants time to correct missing documents. "If you submit a day before ... we can't do that," Sullivan said, explaining early submission gives students a chance to resubmit corrected materials. She also advised applicants to fill in sections such as extenuating circumstances rather than writing "NA," so reviewers get a clearer picture of financial need.

On essays, Sullivan urged applicants to read prompts carefully and personalize responses. "We want you to connect with the committee that's going to be reviewing that essay," she said, encouraging stories that show challenges overcome and leadership rather than entitlement. TFEC ran scholarship "boot camps" this year to coach students on essay quality and application strategy.

The organization also addressed use of artificial intelligence in essays. Sullivan said TFEC's universal application includes a disclaimer: "you cannot use AI to write your essays." She clarified that students may use AI tools for grammar or punctuation as long as the ideas and phrasing are the student's own. "We want your thoughts on it," she said. TFEC also uses review practices and tools to detect writing not produced by the applicant.

Sullivan warned about scholarship scams and recommended students avoid any award that requests an upfront fee or sensitive financial data. She and the host recommended prioritizing local and employer-sponsored scholarships, where competition is typically lower.

TFEC encourages prospective applicants to start preparing before senior year: keep a spreadsheet of target scholarships, prepare a student resume and begin identifying likely majors and schools. The foundation's student portal and resources are available at www.tfec.org, and Sullivan invited listeners to contact TFEC with application questions.