Ted Van Thullenar Friends of Santa Claus Scholarship

Saving for college is something a family should not have to think about while their child is fighting cancer. As the young adults in our program were graduating from high school and choosing to continue their education, we recognized the need for assistance with the rising cost of attending college. As a result, Friends of Santa Claus established a scholarship fund in memory of our co-founder, Ted Van Thullenar, who passed away following a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.

Scholarships are $1,000 per year for up to 4 years at a college or technical school. This scholarship is only available to the child who has or has had cancer.

The criteria:

  • Applicant has been active in the program for a minimum of three years.

  • Applicant has attended Camp Merry Times a minimum of two years unless unable to attend due to illness.

  • Applicant has graduated from High School with a “C” average or above. It is acceptable to have a G.E.D.

  • Applicant must maintain a “C” average or better in their studies to renew the scholarship.

  • Applicant must attend a minimum of 95% of classes unless unable to attend due to illness.

  • While attending school, applicants must return to Camp MerryTimes as a counselor and a role model for campers who are still fighting the disease in order to renew the scholarship. If the dates of CMT conflict with school dates, an exception must be requested in advance to arrange an alternate volunteer opportunity.

Application deadline is 2 months prior to start of the first year in school. Application must be complete in full and submitted along with written essay.

Ted Van Thullenar Friends of Santa Claus Scholarship Application

To Apply:

  1. Complete the online scholarship application.

  2. Submit a final high school transcript.

  3. Submit your essay, What Friends of Santa Claus Has Meant to Me and My Family, by uploading a PDF or Word document with the online application.

Access the online application here!

Questions?
Contact Matt Burt, Mary Jones, or Molly Dugan at info@friendsofsantaclaus.org