IAPD Scholarship Program
Scholarship Sponsored by International Association of Plastics Distribution
Required materials
- Completed online scholarship application plus these supporting items:
- A one-page essay of approximately 500 words.
- A current unofficial transcript. (If you are a college freshman, submit both your high school and college transcripts.)
- The addendum (signature) page from this application, signed by the student and a parent or guardian.
All supporting documents — including the essay, transcripts, letters of recommendation (if applicable) and the signed addendum — must be in English to be accepted. Files may be uploaded through the application portal or sent electronically to Jean McClure.
Submission rules and confidentiality
- Incomplete or late submissions will not be reviewed.
- All materials received will be kept confidential and used only to evaluate the scholarship application.
- If you have questions or encounter problems with your submission, contact Jean McClure at +913.345.1005.
Selection process
A four-person Scholarship Committee evaluates all eligible applications. Candidates are ranked using these criteria:
- Academic achievement
- Extracurricular involvement
- Essay and presentation
- Financial need
Award notifications will be mailed on or before June 15, 2026. Scholarship funds are sent directly to the recipient’s first-choice school listed on the application; awards are not paid to individual students. Before funds are released, selected recipients will be asked to confirm personal details (including Social Security number) and to provide a recent photograph (digital or print only — cell phone photos are not acceptable).
Eligibility
Applicants must be undergraduate or graduate students, or college-bound high school seniors, and meet at least one of the following:
- Be employed by an IAPD member company
- Be the child of an employee of an IAPD member company
- Be enrolled in a professional sales program (major, minor, or concentration)
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 on an unweighted 4.0 scale. Students are ranked according to academic record, extracurricular activities, and presentation. Applicants who receive an IAPD scholarship are not eligible to receive another IAPD scholarship the following year.
About the IAPD Charitable Foundation
The IAPD Charitable Foundation was established in 1981 as a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization to provide undergraduate scholarships for employees of IAPD member firms and their children, and for students studying sales (major, minor, or concentration). Scholarship funds come from donations by IAPD member companies, individuals in the performance plastics industry, the association, and its for-profit subsidiary, as well as from fundraising held during IAPD events. Donors may be eligible for federal tax deductions; a receipt will be provided for tax purposes (consult your tax advisor for details). Scholarships awarded were up to US$3,500 in 2025.
Want to support the program?
To learn how to contribute to the IAPD Annual Scholarship Program, contact the IAPD Charitable Foundation at +913.345.1005.