RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

SCHOLARSHIPS

Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana

The deadline for all RPM Scholarship Applications is Monday, January 26, 2009.

Each spring students majoring in Residential Property Management (RPM) have the opportunity to apply for a variety of scholarships for the following academic year.  The overall purpose of the scholarship program is to retain and reward outstanding students in the Residential Property Management program at Ball State University.  Members of the Residential Property Management Advisory Board have made an initial contribution of $5000.00 and/or contribute annually to fund these scholarships.  The scholarship program was established with the founding of the program in the spring of 1999. 

Questions regarding all RPM Scholarship should be directed to:

Dr. Sue H. Whitaker, RPM Scholarship Coordinator

Residential Property Management Program

Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

Ball State University

Muncie, IN 47306

Phone: 765-285-2297

Fax:     765-285-2314

E-mail:   swhitaker@bsu.edu

RPM SCHOLARSHIPS FOR 2009-10

For the 2009-10 academic year one Senior Scholarship, up to 10 General Scholarships and 4 Travel Scholarships will be awarded.  Students may apply for multiple scholarships, but each scholarship requires a separate application.  Details and requirements for each scholarship follow.

SENIOR SCHOLARSHIP

Beginning in 1999, a $1000 senior scholarship has been given each academic year in the name of one member firm from the Capital members of the Residential Property Management Advisory Board. 

1999     Regency Windsor Management Company (recipient was Jill Dewing)

2000     Crossmann Communities (recipient was Emily Suiter)

2001     Given & Spindler Companies (recipient was David Hinds)

2002     Gene B. Glick Co. (recipient was Suzanne Finney)

2003     Flaherty & Collins Properties (recipient was Jaclyn Shaw)

2004     Edward Rose of Indiana (recipient was Sarah Atkinson)

2005     Associated Estates Realty Corporation (recipient was Sarah Atkinson)

2006     Charles E. Smith Residential (A Division of Archstone-Smith) (recipient was Cara Hollars)

2007     Sterling Management, LTD

2008     Marquette Management Company (recipient was James Workman)

2009     JVM Realty Corporation

2010     Buckingham Companies AMO®

2011     CWS Apartment Homes, LLC

The recipient of the senior scholarship is invited to serve as a non-voting member of the RPM Advisory Board during the time they hold the scholarship.

SELECTION CRITERIA 

Minimum Requirements:

•     Completed application - an application form is available at two different locations.  They are available through the RPM Program Intranet site on BlackBoard, the RPM web page at http://www.bsu.edu/fcs/rpm/ or the FCS Department's Scholarship page at http://www.bsu.edu/fcs/scholarships/ and click on Residential Property Management Scholarships.
•  Write a one page or less essay to answer one of the following questions/scenarios:

o   Community Crime:  Over the past several weeks, your community has been experiencing car break-ins and even a few apartment break-ins not only during the nighttime, but also during the day.  Unfortunately, your community does not have the financial means to hire a contracted security officer and you have also exhausted all efforts in dealing with local law enforcement to remedy the situation.  What plan of action do you take at this time? 

o   Applications:  George Murphy and Mary Smith come in to your rental office and apply for a two-bedroom apartment home.  After they complete the rental application you look it over and notice that this is their first time renting an apartment which does not give them adequate rental history to meet your resident selection criteria.  George has an established credit history; however, Mary does not.  What steps would you take at this time to properly process their rental application for residency?

o   Marketing an Aging Product:   Surrounding your community there are two brand new apartment communities that just completed construction.  Your community was built in 1972 and, unfortunately, does not have all of the lavish features that each of these new communities is marketing.  You have noticed a decline in your traffic numbers since the new communities began their own marketing campaigns.  What do you do to hold the competitive edge on marketing your community as compared to this new product on the market?  

•   Must have senior standing by the beginning of fall semester 2009 as a major  in Residential Property Management and will be graduating no later than fall semester 2010.
•   Minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 and a 3.0 in major.
•   Two (2) letters of recommendation, at least one from a faculty member who has had the student in class.

Other Selection Criteria:

•   Demonstration of strong intellectual ability, with an overall GPA of 3.0  preferred
•   High motivation to succeed in the industry
•   Participation in extra-curricular activities related to the field
•   Financial need may be considered, but is not required for scholarship application.  

          (Students who wish to have their financial need considered in the   selection should complete the Federal Financial Aid forms by March 1)

Summary of Application Requirements for the Senior Scholarship:

To apply for the scholarship the student must submit ELECTRONICALLY the application package that includes:

____    Application form

____    Essay response to one of the questions/scenarios – response space is page 3 of the application form

____    Two (2) letters of recommendation (the writers of these letters will submit the letters to Dr. Whitaker @ swhitaker@bsu.edu by the stated deadline)

GENERAL SCHOLARSHIPS

SELECTION CRITERIA

Minimum Requirements:

• Completed application - an application form is available at two different locations.  They are available through the RPM Program Intranet site on BlackBoard, the RPM web page at http://www.bsu.edu/fcs/rpm/ or click on Residential Property Management General Scholarship Application Form.
• Write a one page or less essay to answer one of the following questions/scenarios

o   Overcoming Objections:  Your apartment community does not offer washer and dryer connections in your one- and two-bedroom floor plans.  Today you receive three intents from current residents stating they are moving to your competitor property across the street because the competitor offers washer and dryer connections in all apartments.  You cannot afford to lose this occupancy at this time of year, so what will you do to retain these residents? 

o   Maintenance Concerns: Today you receive a phone call from Sally Hart in 105-C stating that she just arrived home from work to find that her water heater is leaking all over her living room floor.  She continues in stating that this is the third time that this has happened and that maintenance has been out to work on her water heater at least three times in the past.  What do you do as the manager to ensure proper maintenance customer service satisfaction for Ms. Hart? 

o   Concession Wars:  Your community has a very limited concession budget; however, your competition is offering two months free on a 13-month lease and is reporting higher traffic numbers than you.  Your occupancy is slowly slipping with each passing week and your traffic numbers are down.  What can you do to stabilize your occupancy knowing you have a very limited concession budget? 

•   Declared major in Residential Property Management, currently enrolled in or having completed FCSMR 235 "Introduction to Residential Property Management"
•   Minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 and a 3.0 in major
•   Two (2) letters of recommendation, at least one from a faculty member who has had the student in class

Other Selection Criteria:

•   Demonstration of strong intellectual ability, with an overall GPA of 3.0 preferred
•   High motivation to succeed in the industry
•   Participation in extra- curricular activities related to the field
•   Financial need may be considered, but is not required for scholarship application.  

(Students who wish to have their financial need considered in the selection process should complete the Federal Financial Aid forms by March 1)

Summary of Application Requirements for General Scholarship:

To apply for the scholarship the student must submit ELECTRONICALLY the application package that includes:

____    Application form

____    Essay response to one of the questions/scenarios – response space is page 3 of the application form

____    Two (2) letters of recommendation (the writers of these letters will submit the letters to Dr. Whitaker @ swhitaker@bsu.edu by the stated deadline)

Travel Scholarship for 2008 National Apartment Association (NAA) Annual Educational Conference and Exposition

June 25 – 27, 2009 in Las Vegas, NV

Note:  Up to four awards will be made based on the quality of the applications to cover the hotel expenses.  The NAA provides the registration for the students attending the meeting.  Recipients will be expected to pay their own travel, meals and other personal expenses associated with the meeting.  This scholarship is available to both undergraduate and graduate students.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Minimum Requirements: