Scholarship Selection Committee Member

ABOUT HOPE STORY

Hope Story is a mission-driven organization founded in 1998 with a vision to serve orphans and vulnerable children. We partner with local churches in Burkina Faso, Canada (Thunder Bay), Colombia, Kenya, Lebanon, Tanzania, and Zambia, empowering them as they respond to Jesus’ call to serve the poor in their own communities. Through these locally led ministries, we help provide vulnerable children with access to education, healthcare, and discipleship. Our headquarters is in Cambridge, Ontario, and we engage donors from across Canada to support this fulfilling work.

Role Overview:
The Scholarship Selection Committee Member will support the review and assessment of scholarship applications submitted by students seeking financial assistance in our partner countries. Using standardized scoring rubric and guidelines provided by Hope Story, committee members will evaluate applicants’ academic performance, character, personal statements, spiritual commitment and financial needs.
Anyone with a strong background in education (that is current or retired primary/secondary school teacher or administrator) is welcome to express interest. This is a seasonal volunteer role, with new recruitment occurring ahead of each program cycle and it would be a committee of three volunteers. The upcoming commitment is specifically for the 2026–2027 scholarship cycle.

Key Responsibilities:
• Review 15-20 scholarship applications, including transcripts, essays, recommendation letters, and additional supporting documents.
• Use Hope Story’s scoring rubric to evaluate each applicant with fairness, consistency, and objectivity.
• Participate in one virtual orientation/training session on the updated rubric and selection process.
• Maintain confidentiality of all student information and uphold privacy standards.
• Provide feedback or recommendations to help strengthen the application and scoring process for future years.
• Collaborate (virtually) with other committee members as needed to finalize scholarship award decisions.
• Follow Hope Story’s privacy and data protection guidelines.

Qualifications:
• Current or retired teacher (primary, secondary, or post secondary) in Canada or internationally.
• Strong ability to assess student work and understand diverse educational backgrounds.
• Commitment to fairness, integrity, and unbiased decision making.
• Alignment with Hope Story’s Christian values and mission.
• Ability to meet review timelines in July and August.
• Strong attention to detail and discretion in handling confidential information.
• Basic comfort with technology (email, PDF documents, and online forms).

Time Commitment:
• Flexible hours (2-5 hours on average weekly), depending on the number of applications assigned.
• One virtual training session (60 minutes) for initial training.
• Application review completed independently at your own pace within July–August deadlines.

What Volunteers Receive:
• Opportunity to use your educational expertise to directly impact students’ lives.
• Meaningful service aligned with Christian compassion, equity, and empowerment.