TAHLEQUAH — The Cherokee Nation Educational Corporation is helping to ease the financial burden of higher education costs through several scholarship opportunities available to Cherokee Nation citizens.

The CNEC is a non-profit corporation with a mission to provide educational assistance to Cherokee tribal citizens. One of the goals of CNEC is to revitalize the language, culture and history of the Cherokee people.

Scholarship applicants must be citizens of the Cherokee Nation. All applications must be received by March 14.

There are seven scholarships available:

• The Harold “Jiggs” Phillips Memorial Award is available to Cherokee citizens who are graduates of an Adair County High School. The scholarship is $1,000 per semester. Applicants who maintain a 2.0 grade point average may be awarded funding for a second semester. The award may be used for attending a college, university or vocational-education school.

• The James R. Upton Memorial Award is available to Cherokee Nation citizens who live in Cherokee County and have graduated from Sequoyah Schools. The scholarship amount is a one-time award of $500 for students attending a higher education institution or technology institute.

• The John Shurr Journalism Award is available to Cherokee citizens who are working toward a graduate degree in journalism or mass communications. Award amounts are $1,000 per semester. Applicants must write an essay on his/her journalism career goals, provide samples of published writing and maintain a 3.0 GPA in order to receive the scholarship for a second semester. Participants are also required to complete an eight-week, expense paid, summer internship with The Cherokee Phoenix in Tahlequah.

• The Major Ridge Award is available to Cherokee Nation citizens who will graduate high school in 2008. The scholarship amount is $1,000 per semester. Applicants must write an essay on Major Ridge and maintain a 2.5 GPA in order to receive the award for a second semester.

• The Nell Brown Memorial Award is a scholarship available to Cherokee citizens who are graduate students. Applicants must be studying history, anthropology or archeology with an emphasis on American Indian or Cherokee studies. The award amount is $1,000 per semester and may be continued through the second year if participants maintain a 2.5 GPA.

• The Red Clay Award is available to citizens of the Cherokee Nation who are an enrolled JOM student and will graduate within the tribe’s jurisdictional area. The scholarship amount is $1,000 per semester. Students maintaining a 2.5 GPA may be awarded for a second year.

• The Tribal Council Award is available to Cherokee citizens who reside outside the Cherokee Nation’s jurisdictional boundaries. Applicants must be high school students who will graduate in 2008. The award amount is $1,000 per semester if the student maintains a 2.5 GPA in a higher education setting.

For more information or applications, call 453-5420 or e-mail Margaret-Raymond@cherokee.org.