Scholarships and Tuition Reimbursement Programs

The ARMA International Educational Foundation (AIEF) scholarship programs encourage development of the international records and information management community with an appropriately educated records and information management workforce.

Graduate scholarships leading to the Masters or PhD degree were first offered in 2006. To apply, click AIEF Graduate Scholarship Application Form. Currently nine scholarships are awarded each year.

In 2012, responding to a concern that many records and information management practitioners lack undergraduate degrees and want to earn a degree in order to advance on their career path, the AIEF established an Undergraduate Tuition Reimbursement Program. To apply, click AIEF Undergraduate Tuition Reimbursement Form. Currently ten scholarships are granted for the Fall Semester and ten for the Spring Semester.

Click Scholarships Awarded to read about past scholarship recipients.

Program Funding

Overall funding is determined on an annual basis. The AIEF
reserves the right not to offer grants unless funding is available. The Foundation encourages endowed scholarships supported by gifts from individuals and organizations. Potential donors are invited to contact the Foundation Administrator for more information.

Eligibility of Educational Opportunities

The types of course(s) that qualify for funding include, but are not limited to: Records Management; Records Technologies, Archival Administration; Information Science; Information Technology Management; Knowledge Management; Data Resources Management and Library Science.

Award Priorities

EARLY CAREER ENHANCEMENT – People in the early stages of their careers who can demonstrate that a particular educational offering will significantly increase their ability to deal with a specific job assignment, address a problem, or advance in the field.

STRENGTHENING A CAPACITY TO DEAL WITH SIGNIFICANT ISSUES – People at any stage of their careers, who can demonstrate that a specific educational offering will enable them to handle an issue of significance to the field; supervise, train, or develop others (e.g., staff they supervise) in a significant issue; or contribute to the profession’s efforts to deal with a significant issue.

COMMITMENT TO THE FIELD – People who show commitment to the field, through what they have done on the job and professionally and what they indicate they are interested in doing.

PART OF A DEVELOPMENT PLAN – Education offerings that clearly fit in with the applicant’s past work and career plans.

QUALITY EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS – Educational offerings where the sponsoring institution is clearly competent to offer the course or other opportunity; presenters are clearly qualified through training or experience to teach or present; content (what will be covered) is clear; and, outcomes are clear, either from the course description or what the applicant provides.

COST EFFECTIVENESS – Educational offerings where the applicant can make the case that the offering is cost-effective, i.e. that the quality and expected outcomes are worth the investment of funds.

Graduate Scholarship Application Requirements

Enrollment in an accredited graduate school program
Complete the application form. Click AIEF Graduate Scholarship Application Form
Provide evidence of the intention to continue with the second year of the program
Submit an outline of the courses and related papers completed in the first year
Submit evidence of being a member in good standing of ARMA International or another nationally or internationally recognized information management association
Provide evidence of having attained a grade average of 80% or a B average or higher in the first year of the graduate degree program as indicated by the submission of an official transcript
Prepare a 1000 or more word research essay which thoroughly explores an aspect of records and information management studies. If deemed appropriate by AIEF, the applicant further agrees to allow the AIEF to publish the essay
Agree to the terms and conditions of the Scholarship
Submit one hard copy of a letter of application, the documentation indicated above,
and three letters of reference from individuals able to comment on the applicant’s
academic performance, involvement or interest in the records and information
management community and leadership abilities
Applications are due by the end of June each year and are to be submitted to:

Preston W. Shimer, FAI
Foundation Administrator
ARMA International Educational Foundation
1609 Terrie Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15241
USA

Undergraduate Tuition Reimbursement Application Requirements

Complete the application form. Click AIEF Undergraduate Tuition Reimbursement Form.
Submit evidence of being a member in good standing of ARMA International for at least one year
Provide evidence of current employment as a RIM professional for at least one year (no full time students may apply unless also working full time).
Prove enrollment in an accredited college or university program leading to a degree
Submit a transcript indicating completion of at least two semesters with a passing grade (C or better)
Submit the course description of the course(s) for which tuition reimbursement is being requested. Each course must be RIM-related, or demonstrably relevant to a RIM career.
Reimbursement will be for the tuition cost only up to $1,000 per application. Applicants may receive only one award every 12 months, up to a total of $3,000.
Preference will be given to those taking courses in Legal, Finance/Business, IT and HR
Prepare no more than a one page description explaining how taking the course will help in furthering a RIM career
Submit one letter of reference from an individual able to comment on the applicant’s academic performance or involvement with the records and information management community
Agree to the terms and conditions of the Undergraduate Tuition Reimbursement Program
Submit the documentation indicated above (either method is acceptable) as follows:

On line: admin@armaedfoundation.org

By mail: Preston W. Shimer, FAI

Foundation Administrator
ARMA International Educational Foundation
1609 Terrie Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15241
USA

Evaluation

The graduate scholarship applications will be adjudicated by a committee of three AIEF Trustees, a member of the ARMA Board of Directors, and one non-Board or Trustee member drawn from the academic community. A majority of the members voting for one applicant will be needed for an award to be made.

The undergraduate tuition reimbursement applications will be adjudicated by a committee of three AIEF Trustees. A majority of the members voting for an applicant will be needed for an award to be made.

Scholarships will be announced on the AIEF website and at the annual ARMA International Conference. In addition, successful candidates will be notified directly by email.

If, in the opinion of the evaluation committee, no applications received in a given year warrant an award, none will be given in that year.

Payment

Graduate scholarship payments are made to the scholarship winner or to the collegiate institution depending upon the requirements of the institution. In most cases, a single payment of the entire award is made upon proof of enrollment.

For undergraduate tuition reimbursement, awardees must complete the course(s) and submit a copy of their transcript showing successful completion with a satisfactory grade (C or above) to the Foundation Administrator. A check will be issued to the awardee once this information is received and matched to the initial application.

Records

Graduate scholarship records relating to the application and evaluation, except the name and address of the recipient and the student essay, will be destroyed one year after final payment of each scholarship is issued. Records for undergraduate tuition reimbursement awardees, except the name and address of each recipient, will be retained for 10 years or until the applicant is no longer a member of ARMA International, whichever period is shorter.

For further information, contact the Foundation Administrator at admin@armaedfoundation.org