Opportunities
Impact
198,000
Awarded this year
47
Scholars and Fellows
11%
International Student Scholars
77
Scholars identify as Black, Hispanic, Latine, Asian, or Multi-racial
History
As President of Champaign National Bank, Fred S. Bailey developed a strong appreciation for the University YMCA and believed in its commitment to develop and nurture ethical leaders who were committed to making the world a better place. When he passed away in 1955, his Will established the Fred Bailey Trust and designated two-thirds of the income to be paid to the University YMCA for scholarships to U of I students on the basis of "moral character, intelligence, leadership and scholarship without regard to their field of study."
Over the past 70 years, the University YMCA has awarded millions of dollars in scholarships to thousands of University of Illinois students through the Bailey Scholarship Program. More than 3000 students have received $5+ million in awards.
In 2009, the University YMCA updated and fully integrated the Bailey Scholarship Program within its programming. As a result, the criteria changed to emphasize service and action in addition to financial need and academic achievement. This review also led to the creation of the Bailey Leadership Awards, four $6,000 awards given to upcoming seniors who have made an exceptional impact in one of the following areas: Social Justice, Environment, Faith in Action, and International Issues.
In 2013, the program added the Fred S. Bailey Fellowship for Community Leadership, Service, and Activism to support graduate and professional students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus who have shown a strong commitment to community organizing, activism, and/or service. The Fellowship offers a $14,000 stipend and a tuition and partial fee waiver for most programs. The Unpaid Internship program provides $1,500 and $3,000 to students who accept part-time or full-time volunteer social impact internships with public service agencies and non-profit organizations.
Resources
Undergraduate Scholarship Essays
Are you applying for the Bailey Undergraduate Scholarship? Gain insight around the required essays here!
Scholarship Recommendation Guidelines
Are you applying for a Bailey Scholarship or Fellowship and have questions about the recommendation section? Find more information here!
Enrichment Opportunities
Are you a current Bailey Scholar looking for opportunities to fulfill your enrichment requirements? Check out these current opportunities!
- Friday Forum + Conversation Café
- Fridays at 12:00 at the University YMCA
- Lead With Your Story: Effectively Communicating Your Leadership & Social Impact
- Monday, February 24 | Networking 4:30-5:00, Workshop 5:00-6:00
- Registration encouraged but not required.
- Your leadership and service experiences have shaped you in powerful ways—now it’s time to share that impact. Come to this workshop to craft your compelling narratives to showcase your accomplishments and career readiness skills to future employers. In this workshop, you will:
- Discover your stories
- Craft those stories for resumes and interviews
- Practice communicating those stories
- Have something else in mind? Contact Sydney for approval.
Additional opportunities will be announced via email to all Bailey Scholars throughout the year. Scholars can also request approval of other events and workshops and develop their own leadership development plan! For approval, contact the Bailey Scholarship Director, Sydney Curts, sydney@universityymca.org
Leadership Opportunities
Are you a current Bailey Scholar looking for opportunities to fulfill your leadership requirements? Check out these current opportunities!
- Constructive Nonviolence: Philosophy and Practice
- Thursday, February 27 | 5:00-7:30 (dinner provided!)
- Want to learn how to create meaningful change through nonviolent strategies? This training will explore the principles and tactics of nonviolent action, equipping you with practical skills to engage in advocacy and social movements. Led by experienced organizers Harry Boyte and Marie Ström, this session will be a great opportunity to deepen your understanding of nonviolence and its role in leadership, activism, and community organizing.
- Registration encouraged but not required.
- Illinois Leadership Workshop
Additional opportunities will be announced via email to all Bailey Scholars throughout the year. Scholars can also request approval of other events and workshops and develop their own leadership development plan! For approval, contact the Bailey Scholarship Director, Sydney Curts, sydney@universityymca.org
Sample Internship MOU
BEFORE THE INTERNSHIP
Unpaid Internship Scholars must submit a signed Letter of Agreement, learning objectives and a final job description before their internship start date. These items must be approved by both the faculty sponsor and the Bailey Scholarship Director.
You must also submit a Site Agreement Memorandum of Understanding to be completed and signed by your Site Sponsor.
Bailey Promotional Materials
Want to share this opportunity with your students? Find various promotional materials here!
Reviewer Tutorial
The first time you log into the platform, you will need to create a password. Using the email you provided to Bailey Staff, follow this link to set your password.
Once you have set your password, you can log into the scholarhsip platform and start reviewing your assigned applications! Need help navigating the platform? Check out this video tutorial.
Support the Bailey Scholarship program today!
Your support enables us to provide dedicated staff support and programming for Bailey Scholars - helping them to develop to their fullest potential.