Preparing former prisoners for life, ministry and career.

"The Colson Scholarship Program at Wheaton College is a grand opportunity for ex-prisoners
to obtain a first-rate education preparing them for leadership in many areas of ministry."
     - Charles W. Colson 

History  

In 1988, the scholarship was established by a generous friend of the Institute for Prison Ministries and named in honor of Chuck Colson for his valuable service to the field of prison ministry.  The Charles W. Colson Scholarship provides former prisoners with a college education and life formation program that develops them as Christian leaders.  Since its introduction, numerous candidates have received scholarships to attend Wheaton College's undergraduate and graduate school, or the correctional ministries credential program. This Colson scholarship program is administered by the Institute for Prison Ministries of the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College.  

Scholarship Awards

Awards are based on need and commonly matched with other funding, including grants, to defray the total cost of a Wheaton College education.  Awards are for tuition for one degree or credential program only and may cover room, board, and medical insurance.  The scholarship program may help with needs that lead the student toward academic success, including tutoring and personal counseling.  Students are responsible for transportation costs, personal miscellaneous expenses, and books.

Eligibility

 To qualify, an applicant must:

• be a Christian.
• be an American citizen.
• have a felony record
• be out of prison for at least one full year, and established in a local church.
• for the correctional ministry credential program: Possess a high school diploma or G.E.D
• for undergraduate studies: Possess a high school diploma or G.E.D. and submit ACT or SAT scores. Transfer students submit transcripts.
• for graduate studies: Possess a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college/university with a cumulative GPA of 2.75 

 Felony arsonists, felony sexual offenders, habitual violent offenders and felony offenders under psychiatric
care or taking anti-psychotic medication are NOT ELIGIBLE for the scholarship program.

 Correctional Ministries Credential Program

• A 21 credit undergraduate or graduate non-degree program
• Emphasis Areas: Correctional Chaplaincy, Reentry Leadership, or Correctional Ministries Focus Area

Undergraduate

• Degrees offered: B.A., B.S., B. Mus., B. Mus Ed.
• Majors: There are 40 majors offered from such areas as Art, Bible, Business, Communications, Education, Engineering, Languages, Mathematics, Music, Science, and Social Science

Graduate

• Degrees offered: M.A. and M.A.T
• Majors: Biblical Archeology, Biblical and Theological Studies, Christian Formation and Ministry, Clinical Psychology, Education, Evangelism and Intercultural Studies/TESOL

The scholarship application portfolio consists of the following documents:

Application Checklist
Application
Essay Certification
Waivers and Permissions
Release of Information - Incarceration
Release of Information - Parole
Pastoral Recommendation
Professional Recommendation
Friend Recommendation
                      

Note for Submitting these Forms Electronically: The forms provided above are interactive PDFs; they must be completed online and some may be submitted electronically. If you opt to do this, remember that when you hit the "submit by email" button, you will be prompted to select the type of email browser you are using. A message will be prepared for you with an attachment. The attachment will not look like the form you submitted, it will be in xml-data format. This is fine, as we are able to convert the data into the format that we need for processing. If you experience difficulties, you may complete the forms online, print them and either mail or fax them to us. 

Deadline Information: Scholarship applications must be submitted by January 1 of the year to which the student is seeking admission. Files of candidates meeting requirements are reviewed and evaluated in late February. The application process requires a personal interview. Scholarship application and application to Wheaton College should proceed at the same time. Materials are not interchangeable.  

Scholarships are competitive and only one to two are given each year.

"People often ask what my legacy will be. The answer is simple. Apart from my family, it will be the living monuments of God’s grace, the people who have experienced a complete new life, and I’ve been privileged to be a part of. At the top of the legacy list will be Danny. He and I have a special kinship, and as I watch him grow in Christ, I rejoice, and I feel pride—the right kind of pride, that is. This is the man whom God anointed to do great things, to be a witness to our culture, to reach out to the poorest of the poor, and to give hope—new hope, indeed—to the 1 out of 32 Americans today who are either in prison or on probation. What’s the answer to the staggering prison problem in America? More Danny Croces." 

- Chuck Colson

On May 16, 2012, Chaplain Danny Croce, Colson Scholar, BA ' 95,  was invited by the Colson family to speak at the Chuck Colson Memorial Service in the National Cathedral, Washington, D.C.