Pioneer Scholarship

We’re proud to support our communities’ vital work. Each year, we get our community a variety of grant opportunities to stimulate growth and build each other up.

Pioneer Connect is proud to offer scholarships to young people in our community pursuing higher education. Please use this form to apply for either Pioneer Connect Scholarships, but you may only apply for one.

Applicant Qualifications:

Applicant must be a member or an immediate relative of someone who is a participating member of Pioneer Connect (you could be a spouse, son, or daughter of the member)
Your primary place of residence must be located within the Pioneer Connect serving area
Be currently enrolled in or applying for admission to an undergraduate program in an accredited community college, four-year college or university, or vocational technical school

Materials needed for complete application:

Provide three letters of recommendation from individuals other than family members
Provide legible copies of all high school and college or technical school transcripts
Submit all information requested on the application form and sign the certification at the end of the application

Additional information:

Applicant may optionally provide a copy of their latest SAT and/or ACT test scores
An applicant is eligible to receive the scholarship a maximum number of two times
After the award is made, the scholarship funds will be directly submitted to the institution of higher education in the name of the scholarship recipient
The completed application and all supporting documentation must be submitted/received no later than 4:30 p.m. on February 16, 2026
Incomplete applications will not be considered for scholarship award

The Board of Directors will choose scholarship recipients based on this criteria:

Scholastic achievement – 15%
Extra-curricular activities, accomplishments and recognition received – 15%
Career and educational goals – 20%
Personal Statement – 25%
Financial need – 15%
Responses to open-ended questions – 10%

The Academic Scholarship is an online submission only—you can begin your application through our online system below.

DEADLINE: Application must be submitted no later than February 16, 2026 by 4:30 p.m.

Incomplete applications will not be considered for scholarship award.

Note: There is no time limit to the application process. However, the application will not be saved along the way. Be sure to have enough time to finish it or you will have to start back at the beginning.

Pioneer Scholarship Application

"*" indicates required fields

Name

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

APPLICANT INFORMATION

Applying for*

Academic Scholarship

Community College

Trade School

Name*

First Last

Email*

Mailing Address*

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

Pioneer Connect Phone Number*

Alternate Phone

SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT

High School Attended:*

Year Graduated:*

High School GPA:*

COLLEGE INFORMATION

School Planning on Attending:*

School Planning on Attending

University

Community College

Trade School

School Address:*

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

Have You Been Accepted By Your School:*

Yes

Starting Date:*

Expected Graduation Date:*

Proposed Major:*

Anticipated Number of Credits Per Term:*

Number of Terms Per Year:*

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Complete the following information with your proposed budget for the upcoming school year (September – June)

Projected Expenses

Registration & Fees:*

Books & Supplies:*

Personal Expenses:*

Transportation:*

Housing & Meals*

Other:*

Total:

Projected Income

Student Work (Summer & School Year):*

Scholarships & Grants:*

Loans:*

Savings:*

Other Sources:*

Total Projected Income:*

Net Difference (+/-):

Please provide any additional financial information you feel will assist the committee in making a decision:

COOPERATIVE FOCUSED QUESTIONS

HISTORY

Pioneer Connect is a cooperative corporation formed under the provisions of Oregon Revised Statute 62 (ORS 62) for the purpose of engaging in any lawful activity for which cooperatives may be organized under ORS 62. Cooperatives have a long history.

In Scotland in March of 1761, 16 weavers and apprentice weavers came together to sign a charter in which they agreed to work together to set purchase prices for yarns, selling prices for cloth and to deal fairly and honestly in their work forming the Fenwick Weavers’ Society – the earliest cooperative for which we have full records. They also set up a fund that they lent back to members to purchase high cost items, and from which they gave charitable donations to the poor in the village. Some have seen this as a proto-credit union.

Later that decade, in 1769, they agreed to take funds from their “box” to purchase “victuals” which they sold from a central point in the village, the profits going back into their joint funds. This has been seen as a very early co-op store.

In 1844, the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers was formed in Rochdale, England. It is considered the founding association of the modern cooperative movement. The society was formed under the cooperative principles of: 1. Voluntary and Open Membership, 2. Democratic Member Control, 3. Member Economic Participation, 4. Autonomy and Independence, 5. Education, Training, and Information, 6. Cooperation among Cooperatives, 7. Concern for the Community.

Many members from the communities in the Coast Range Mountains of western Oregon attempted to get someone to supply them with telephone service. They were told it could not be a profitable business. They decided to organize a cooperative and take full responsibility of building a modern telephone system for themselves.

Pioneer Telephone Cooperative (known today as Pioneer Connect) was incorporated on October of 1950. In March 1951, Senator Wayne Morse sent a telegram saying the Cooperative had received an REA loan to build a modern telephone system. The Coast Telephone Company was purchased from the Baker family and it became the backbone for building out service into remote areas. Later in 1951, the Blachly-Deadwood Telephone Company became part of the system and in 1956 the Bellfountain Telephone Company merged into the Cooperative.

Today, the Cooperative is evolving from a telephone company to a broadband company. With many miles of fiber-optic cable, the intelligent network is becoming a reality.

Quiz

What is a Cooperative?*

How does Pioneer Cooperative improve your life or benefit your community?*

Why do you think companies like Pioneer Connect invest in youth and local programs?*

FILE UPLOADS:

Please upload the following in a PDF format: 3 letters of recommendation from individuals other than family members (Letters may be combined into one PDF document), High School/College/Technical School Transcript. Optionally, you may submit SAT and/or ACT test scores.*

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: pdf, Max. file size: 50 MB.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT & SUBMIT

I certify that the information provided is correct and true to the best of my knowledge.