Accelerating the Application and Review Process for the Derek Lake Memorial Scholarship
Alexis Lake August 3, 2017
ITM 5000: Application of Technology in a Business Setting Elmira College
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Executive Summary As a non-profit organization, the Derek Lake Memorial Scholarship is in need of a technology upgrade. While social media accounts are needed to increase the brand awareness and student engagement with the scholarship, and a simple GoFundMe.com page could help with increasing the sustainability of the scholarship, there must be a deeper focus on how to use technology to streamline the application and review process. Through implementing an online application portal process and moving away from paper copies, the scholarship will be easier for applicants to access and simpler for reviewers to select a scholarship candidate. This upgrade to an online platform will require some time, change management and funding, but it will not take away from the overall mission of the scholarship. In fact, this online portal system will greatly improve the opportunities for promoting and expanding the scholarship to other area high schools an increasing Derek Lake’s legacy through an art-focused scholarship.
Business Description The Derek Lake Memorial Scholarship is a registered 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that was founded in 2007 after the passing of Derek Lake, a graduate of Horseheads High School. Derek had a passion for the arts, specifically film, and attended the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan. This scholarship was established in his memory and is awarded every year to a deserving senior at Horseheads High School who is matriculating to a college or university to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree. The scholarship provides $2,000 to one recipient and is intended to help with educational expenses outside of tuition such as art supplies, video equipment, software updates or other
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items that create a great deal of out-of-pocket costs for art majors. There are items Derek often needed as a film student. Since the foundation of the scholarship, the organization has pledged more than $30,000 to local high school students continuing their education in the arts.
Current Process Today, the scholarship application is almost entirely paper based. The scholarship forms (Appendix A) are available for students to pick up to at the Horseheads High School guidance office. The main scholarship form remains the same every year, but the specific 250-word essay or response question changes each application cycle. Every year, a local member of the scholarship board or corporation will update the essay question, print the applications, and provide them to the high school guidance office. The guidance office staff then shares the applications with students pursing a Bachelor of Arts degree, as well as various theatre, music, art, and media teachers at the high school. As part of the application, students are required to submit proof of being accepted into a college or university to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree. Many students provide printed copies, or even the original copy, of their college acceptance letter or official certificates of enrollment. Additionally, the students must provide a portfolio or samples of their work. Typically students submit paper copies or flash drives loaded with photography, videos of various performances, films they have created and produced, photos of sculptures, paintings, or drawings. In rare cases, some students may have a link to an online portfolio or a personal YouTube channel loaded with videos. Additionally, letters of recommendation from teachers, coaches, or other mentors are encouraged, but
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required for the application. Students submit all of their application materials by a set deadline to the Horseheads High School guidance office, where then a local member of the board will pick up all the applications for review. Alternatively, students may mail their completed application and materials directly to a specified member of the board. Once all of the applications are received, the review process begins for the board members. Currently all the completed applications are uploaded to an account on DropBox.com. Individual folders within the DropBox site contain all the materials for each applicant. Often applications, letters of recommendation, and portfolios are submitted as hard copies that must be digitally scanned then uploaded to the DropBox site. Once all the materials are loaded into the DropBox site, the board member who organized all the files will notify board via email that the applications are ready to be reviewed. The eight members of the board reside across the United States and in different time zones, which makes the Internet-based DropBox platform easy to access and review. Once each member has logged into the DropBox site and reviewed all the files, they submit ranked votes via email to the main scholarship organizer, who is also a voting member of the board. Applicants are ranked on a numerical scale based on the numbers of applicants. For example, if ten students apply, the highest score each board member could award to one candidate would be a ten. The candidate with the cumulatively highest score is awarded the scholarship. Once a recipient is selected, a member of the board of trustees notifies the guidance office at Horseheads High School, provides a check from the organization, and the scholarship is awarded during the Senior Honors Assembly.
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Current Data Flow
The information and data flow of the current scholarship application process is
very cyclical between the key parties involved (Appendix B). The information mainly flows through a single organizing member of the board that is locally based in the Horseheads area. This organizer updates the scholarship application question, communicates with the high school guidance office, collects all the applications, scans and uploads all the materials to DropBox, and communicates with fellow board members. Information is also shared between the guidance office and teachers which then flows to the students. The information then comes back from the students to the guidance office and back to the board members. The final stage is when the board communicates back to the guidance office on the scholarship recipient, which is then awarded at the Senior Honors Assembly.
Bottlenecks, Challenges and Pain Points While this process appears to be functioning, there are several bottlenecks and challenges that need to be addressed. First, there are a tremendous amount of administrative tasks associated with the application process every year. Between updating the essay question, printing, and gathering the applications, and loading all the materials to the DropBox site. Depending on the number of scholarship applications in a given year, there could easily be 10 to 12 hours of administrative work, including travel to and from the high school. With each member of the board acting as a volunteer and being geographically separated and away from the high school, these tasks are not only time consuming, but almost impossible to divide or share. Also, the board member responsible
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for organizing the applications must have access to a digital scanner, be familiar with DropBox, and be ready and willing to communicate with group on the status of the applications and reviews. Previously, the organizing board member would digitally scan and replicated all the materials into individual USB flash drives and then mail the materials to each board member. This was extremely time consuming and needlessly wasteful in terms of resources and funds. The switch to DropBox about three years ago reduced overall costs and slightly helped streamline this process. However, more improvements are necessary because this process is often bogged down. This then requires a faster or accelerated review process in order for the scholarship to be awarded in time for the Senior Honors Assembly. Additionally, all of the application materials and portfolios, whether printed or digital, are often very large and cumbersome. Video and imagery files are often very data heavy and have in the past, overloaded the DropBox site. This requires the board to spend more funds on digital storage space. Also, in the past some applicants have submitted their only hard copy of a portfolio or college acceptance letter, which is not ideal. The organizing board member must then reach out to the individual applicant to return the materials or request that the applicant provide copies instead of the originals.
Process Redesign and Benefits In researching different scholarship application software and tools available on the market today, the most efficient and cost-effective solution is through engaging with an online, cloud based scholarship application vendor. Several vendors (Appendix C) offer a simple, online portal for students to create an account to then upload their
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portfolio materials (whether video, imagery, etc.), complete the application form, request letters of recommendation, and then submit their complete application. Many portals even allow students to draft and save versions of their materials to the portal before submitting a final application. As applications are received, reviewers log into the system and can view all the materials directly through the portal. The ranking system and voting can be completed via the online portal as well, notifying the main organizer of the final results. The scholarship recipient or other interested parties (in this case, the guidance office) can be notified via email of the selection, directly through the online portal. Utilizing this type of online portal will greatly streamline and simplify the overall application and review process from start to finish (Appendix D). This online portal will greatly benefit the board members, applicants, and overall non-profit scholarship fund. First, this online portal will greatly reduce the time spent on administrative tasks associated with organizing the scholarship. While there will be some initial time spent on establishing the portal and filling in the various fields of the application, vendors estimate that with the simple application required for the scholarship, the set up time could be easily completed within four to five hours. Vendors stressed that once the account is created, establishing the scholarship application is very straightforward without any HTML coding knowledge or skill required. If a user is familiar with using other online and participatory portals such as Doodle, SurveyMonkey or even social media platforms like Facebook, then most of the portals should be very easy to create, manage, and update. Additionally, through the online portal the scholarship will be more accessible to high school students. A 2015 report from the Pew Research Center found that “92% of
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teens report going online daily — including 24% who say they go online ‘almost constantly,’” (CITATION). While being online might make the scholarship easier to find, it will also make the application process easier and less time consuming for both the students and the board members. Lastly, by having an online portal and link to application, the scholarship will be easier to promote and share social media. According to the same report from the Pew Research Center, “71% of teens use more than one social network site,” (CITAION). The highest usage is on Facebook, followed by Instagram and Snapchat (Appendix E). Sharing the scholarship application link via the Horseheads School District social media accounts should help increase the number of applications and overall awareness of the scholarship. This past academic year, even without any links to an online application portal, the Horseheads School District shared general information about the scholarship via the district’s Twitter and Facebook accounts. As a result, two of the five 2017 applicants stated that they heard about the scholarship via Twitter. This feedback underscores the importance of moving to an online portal. As an aspiration for the future, moving the applications online could lead to more applicants, more knowledge of the scholarship, and hopefully an opportunity for the scholarship to grow beyond the Horseheads High School, but to expand into other regional and area high schools. This was always a long-term goal for the scholarship organization, and one that could be much more attainable through adopting an online portal.
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Vendor and Cost Review In researching scholarship management software and online portals, three vendors were contacted. Each provided quick presentations, product demonstrations, and pricing information. The three vendors included: FluidReview by SurveyMonkey, Community Force, and SurveyMonkey Apply. Each vendor offers relatively the same scholarship management platform in terms of the functionality discussed earlier, but with varying levels of customization. For example, FluidReviw by SurveyMonkey promotes being able to easily change and adapt the application page through the manager portal, whereas the other two vendors offer a more static application. Additionally, the Community Force portal can submit auto-reminders and emails with deadline dates to applicants. Each of the portals also provide varying levels of imagery and branding elements to make the application more recognizable and connected to the organization’s cause. The selection really comes down to cost evaluation. FluidReview by SurkeyMonkey has the most options for customizing but requires a upfront starting costs between $4,000 and $12,000 depending on the complexity of the scholarship, with a $4,000 annual licensing fee. This scholarship application is not very complex, so the cost could be lower. The next vendor, Community Force also requires higher start-up costs, which could range from $5,000 to $7,000. However, the annual rates around $1,500 per year are much more affordable. The best pricing was through SurveyMonkey Apply. Based on the simplicity of the scholarship application, the start-up costs would be approximately $1,000, with an annual licensing and service fee of $400. This online portal would still feature the basic functionality needed to administer and review the scholarships, allow for some customization and branding. Based on the pricing and customization available, the
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recommended vendor is SurveyMonkey Apply.
Security Plan The information collected through the scholarship does not include birthdate, social security number, or any credit card information that is more likely targeted by cyber criminals. However, all three of the vendors assured that the sites and online portals are protected and monitored through their broader platform. In fact, the security and monitoring contributes to about a third of the overall annual fees associated with recommended SurveyMonkey Apply platform. Additionally, to keep costs lower, we would still issue paper checks to the scholarship winner, instead of electronically distributing the money through the online platform via PayPal. In the unexpected event that any information is compromised or stolen, we will alert the SurveyMonkey Apply platform as well as all the scholarship applicants and reviewers of a possible breech. We will encourage them to change and update their account passwords and perhaps their personal email account passwords for extra protection.
Implementation Timeline After the cost for the software is approved, implementing the SurveyMonkey Apply software will be relatively fast to complete. Once the our designated SurveyMonkey Apply programmer creates the basic template and log-in information for the content management system of the scholarship, it should only take a few weeks to edit the scholarship and ensure it set up and running properly. This is largely due to a
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member of the board who has experience in creating other online forms and even though it is not required, this individual does have some HMTL knowledge. There would be about a week of creation time and then an additional two to three weeks for testing, editing, and feedback from board members. The goal would be to start the software implementation in October and wrap the project up in December. This will ensure plenty of time to launch the new portal for the 2018 applicants in April.
Risk Analysis In reviewing and creating any change or upgrade, there is always some level of risk. There is a chance that the server for the online portal experiences issues or is temporarily down for service. This is bound to happen with any web platform. The best thing we can do is make the SurveyMonkey Apply representatives aware of the issue. If the issue persists, we will communicate any delays or service glitches to the applicants and board members. If the issue remains unsolved for a period of two weeks and is beginning to impact the timeliness of the applications, we will mitigate this problem by temporarily switching back to the paper form. In fact, the first year of the implementation in 2018, it might be good for the board to consider offering the paper and digital versions of the application just to help ease the transition. Then in the 2019 application cycle, move everything to the online platform. However, because an outside third party will host the scholarship application, they will help mitigate and solve any problems with accessing the overall application, versus relying on someone on the board or hiring another vendor to fix the problem.
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Conclusion The Derek Lake Memorial Scholarship will only benefit from this increased use of technology. The online portal through SurveyMonkey Apply creates a simple and easy platform for students to access, upload their materials, and submit their applications. It also enables the board members to access the applicants, review their portfolio materials, and send in their candidate selection all through the online portal. This will greatly reduce the amount of administrative tasks and time associated with each step of the scholarship. It also helps to position the scholarship as technology forward and willing to adapt and evolve to needs of its applicants. As longer-term goals, this software will allow the scholarship to be better promoted via digital and social media platforms and increase the applicant pool to not just Horseheads High School, but other regional high schools.
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Citations Community Force . (n.d.). Retrieved August 03, 2017, from https://www.communityforce.com/ Lenhart, A. (2015, April 08). Teens, Social Media & Technology Overview 2015. Pew Research Center. Retrieved August 03, 2017, from http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/04/09/teens-social-media-technology-2015/ Online Application System - FluidReview by SurveyMonkey. (n.d.). Retrieved August 03, 2017, from https://fluidreview.com/ SurveyMonkey Apply. (n.d.). Scholarships. Retrieved August 03, 2017, from https://apply.surveymonkey.com/solutions/scholarships/?semsrc=capterra_s&utm _campaign=capterra_s&gartner_source=capterra Top Scholarship Management Software Products. (n.d.). Retrieved August 03, 2017, from http://www.capterra.com/scholarship-management-software/
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Appendix A: Current Scholarship Application Derek Lake Memorial Scholarship 2017 Criteria & Application- (Application due Friday, May 19, 2017) In his memory, the Derek Lake Memorial Corporation offers an annual scholarship(s) to Horseheads High School seniors pursuing a four year degree in any field of the Fine Arts. The Scholarship will not be limited to Film and Video, as studied by Derek, but will include all the Arts. The scholarship is a cash award in the amount of two thousand dollars ($2000) and will be dispersed coincidental with the graduation ceremonies in June 2017. The criteria and selection process would be as follows: •
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• •
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The scholarship is available to any student accepted at a four year institution of higher learning majoring in a curriculum considered universally to be in the Fine Arts. This can include, but is not limited to; theater, acting, painting, sculpture, film and video, photography, music, graphic design, computer graphic design, animation, and others resulting in a BFA or BA, depending on the degree programs offered by the respective university or college. The scholarship will be awarded based on merit. There will not be a financial need or high school academic component used in the selection process. Students will make application for the scholarship not later than May 19, 2017. The application will include confirmation of acceptance at a four year institution in a Fine Arts curriculum, a brief essay on a topic provided by the Board of the Corporation, a resume of accomplishments, awards, and activities relating to the field of interest, and any relevant supporting documentation that would assist the selection committee in evaluating the application. This can include either a CD, DVD, Flash Drive, or Link to an open website with examples of relevant work, where applicable. Letters of recommendation from teachers or other professionals familiar with your work are desirable, but not required for consideration. The selection committee consisting of members of the Board of Derek Lake Memorial Corporation and invited advisors in the field of the Arts will select recipients from the applicants. The award will be a cash award announced and presented as part of the normal graduation sequence established by the Horseheads High School administration.
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Name______________________________________________ Address____________________________________________ City, State, Zip Code__________________________________ E-mail Address______________________________________ University or College Information Institution Name_____________________________________ Campus____________________________________________ Address____________________________________________ City, State, Zip Code__________________________________ Major or Curriculum__________________________________ Fine Arts Field of Study Stated in Application______________ All applicants must include the following with the application for consideration by the Selection Committee: • A Letter of Acceptance from an accredited college or university confirming your acceptance in a Fine Arts program. • A brief description of the program from the course description excerpted or photocopied from the college or university curriculum guide. • A resume stating the major accomplishments, to date, in the selected field of study. • A letter(s) of recommendation from a mentor or teacher familiar with your body of work. (preferred but not required) • If applicable, any visual or audio examples of your work, preferably on either CD, DVD, Flash Drive format or via a link to an open website. This will assist the committee in evaluating your application. • A brief essay (250 words or less) on the topic provided at the bottom of this application. 2017 Essay Topic: What is your dream job and how will you get it? The primary focus of this essay should be what steps you plan on taking – both inside and outside of your fine arts college program – in order to achieve your goal. •
Return items listed above to: Derek Lake Memorial Corporation, Attn: Ryan Lake, 203 Woods Edge Dr., Painted Post, NY 14870 no later than May 19, 2017. Small files can be e-mailed directly to ryan.lake@cemecon.com.
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Appendix B: Current Process
Board member updates the application, prints and delivers copies to the high school
Students submit their materials to the guidance of=ice or via the mail
Board members review the materials on DropBox and submit their selections
Guidance counselors and teachers promote and distribute the applications
Board member picks up the applications at the high school
Candidate selected and the board noti=ies the guidance of=ice
Students gather their materials and apply for the scholarship
Board member digitally scans all the materials and loads them to DropBox
Scholarship awarded during the Senior Honors Assembly
Appendix C: List of Scholarship Management Vendors Top Scholarship Management Software Products. (n.d.). Retrieved August 03, 2017, from http://www.capterra.com/scholarship-management-software/
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Appendix D: New Process
2. Scholarship promoted via digital and social media channels 1. Update the essay question and send scholarship link to high school
6. Prepare for next-year’s application process
3. Students apply and submit portfolios through the digital portal
4. Board members review and submit selections through the online portal.
5. Noti=ication sent to the high school. Scholarship awarded during Senior Honors Assembly.
Appendix E: Social Media Usage Among Teens Lenhart, A. (2015, April 08). Teens, Social Media & Technology Overview 2015. Pew Research Center. Retrieved August 03, 2017, from http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/04/09/teens-social-media-technology-2015/
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