The 2025 ALKU Scholarship Application is now closed.
Created in 2015 by ALKU CEO and MMP Board Member Mark Eldridge, the ALKU Scholarship is a $30,000 college scholarship for rising high school seniors. Through Mark’s leadership and generosity, the scholarship provides youth the opportunity to apply for financial support to achieve their full potential as they pursue their college careers.
By providing financial resources, ALKU and MMP together aim to build the capacity of organizations to connect youth to a broader web of support, build on the opportunities their existing mentoring relationships have offered them and help eliminate any barriers to future academic, economic, or social success.
In order to qualify for the award, the student must be…
- Enrolled in a high school within Massachusetts
- A rising high school senior (i.e. Class of 2026 / student will be a high school senior starting in Fall 2025).
- Applying to a four-year, accredited institution to acquire a Bachelor’s degree in any field
- Engaged in a quality mentoring relationship for at least one year. This mentoring relationship can be with any adult, except for the applicant’s parent or legal guardian, who provides caring, consistent guidance and support.
- Able to demonstrate exceptional leadership skills and a commitment to their communities
For full guidelines and eligibility criteria, please preview the application questions below.
The 2025 ALKU Scholarship Application was open from May 28, 2025 – September 25, 2025. This year’s application is now closed.
Download and Share the Informational Flyer
Download Word Doc Application Questions
Download PDF Application Questions
It is important for us that this application process is accessible for all applicants. For any requests or needs regarding accessibility, accommodations, modifications, or specific preferences we should be aware of to ensure your experience is accessible, positive, and supported, please contact Olivia Taylor at otaylor@massmentors.org .
Note: There is no citizenship requirement for this scholarship, nor will we inquire about citizenship status.
What happens after I submit my application?
After applications are closed, applications are distributed to the ALKU Scholarship Committee along with scoring rubrics and score sheets. Committee members undergo training by the MMP Program Services Team prior to scoring applications. The Committee will then review and score all of the applications using a standardized rubric. Once all of the applications have gone through the first round of review and scoring, MMP compiles the scores to get the top 15 applications. Those applications are presented to the committee as a group, with the main reviewers of the application providing additional insight and lead discussions. The Committee will then vote and decide on the top 5 applicants. MMP’s CEO and ALKU’s CEO will review the top 5 applications and ultimately choose the 2025 ALKU Scholar on October 28th!
![CONGRATULATIONS TO The 2024 ALKU Scholar Elnos Edouard! “Over the years, I have witnessed a significant transformation in Elnos’s behavior and academic performance. He has taken ownership of his education and made a genuine effort to improve his grades. He has become a respectful and dedicated student, showing a commitment to his growth that makes me incredibly proud. As I got to know Elnos on a deeper level [as his mentor], I learned about the challenges he faced, including his parents living in a different country and his health struggles. These obstacles would have discouraged many adults, yet Elnos persevered with an inspiring resilience. Elnos’s journey exemplifies the power of mentorship and the positive impact it can have on a young person’s life. He is not just a success story; he is a testament to the strength of perseverance and determination. I have no doubt that he will continue to achieve great things in the future.” Quote by Jermaine Tulloch, BPS Academic Mentoring, Director, Office of Academics and Professional Learning, Boston Public Schools](https://massmentors.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/9-791x1024.png)
![The 2024 ALKU Scholar, In His Own Words: “One of the most important things [my mentor Jermaine] taught me is that I can always do more—that I can always be better than I was yesterday. For the past four years, he’s been pushing me academically, making sure I’m not just skating by in school, but actually putting in the work. He made it his mission to ensure I completed all my classes and stayed on top of my grades, even when I didn’t want to. Before meeting [Jermaine], I didn’t see the value in school. It felt like a chore, something to just get through. But [he] took the time to teach me the value of education and the power of perseverance. He didn’t just say the usual, “School is important” stuff. He explained it differently—he called it an investment in myself and my future. He showed me that even though school might not always be fun or exciting, the effort I put in now will pay off later. It was about more than just getting a high school diploma; he made me realize that I had the potential to go higher, to achieve more than I ever thought possible. [Jermaine] made me believe that I’m capable of more and that attending college isn’t just a dream, but something I can achieve if I keep pushing myself. In the future, I plan to earn a master’s degree in civil engineering—a goal that’s deeply personal to me. My biological father is someone I deeply respect and admire. He’s a civil engineer, and growing up, I watched him build things that mattered. But for me, it’s not just about following in his footsteps; it’s about going even further. I want to take the foundation he laid and build something even greater. My dream is to give back to my community in Hyde Park. I want to construct monuments, homes, streets, and bridges that stand the test of time—structures that don’t just serve a purpose but symbolize progress, resilience, and hope. I want to build things that my community can be proud of, that help uplift the people who live there. More than that, I want my work to leave a lasting legacy. I want people to look at what I’ve built and remember my name, remember the values my family stands for—hard work, dedication, and giving back to those who need it most.” Quote by Elnos Edouard.](https://massmentors.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/10-791x1024.png)
