Diversity Scholarship

Please note: Applications are no longer being accepted for 2009. Please check back in the fall for details about the 2010 program.

About the Diversity Scholar Program

Mercer’s Diversity Scholars receive a paid summer internship at one of Mercer’s US offices and a scholarship award of $5,000 paid to your school at the end of your summer with Mercer.

The Mercer Diversity Scholarship Program goals include:

• Providing funding to students at nationally accredited institutions of higher learning that are committed to fostering developing future scholars
• Recognizing achievement in scholastics, leadership potential and initiative among minority students
• Attracting top minority students with leadership potential to work at Mercer, where diversity is important to our strategic vision and contributes to our company’s success

Purpose of the scholarship

The purpose of the scholarship is to recognize achievement in scholastics, leadership potential and initiative among minority students. Mercer seeks to make students aware of the potential for a rewarding career in the human resource consulting industry and to encourage the pursuit of such a career.

Mercer intends to award up to 9 scholarships nationally to assist selected minority students with tuition, fees, books, and on-campus room and board. The individual award amount will be up to $5,000 per student. The full amount of the scholarships will be paid by check directly to the Scholar’s university for distribution to recipient(s) with the understanding that the award will be used for the payment of educational expenses such as tuition, fees, books and on-campus room and board.

Candidate Eligibility

To be eligible for consideration, you must:

• Be pursuing a degree in actuarial sciences, mathematics, statistics, economics, business, or finance, organizational psychology or human resources management
• Have a GPA of at least 3.25 on a 4.0 scale or rank in the top 5 percent of your class
• Be an undergraduate student of sophomore or junior standing
• Identify as Hispanic or Latino, Black or African-American, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, Asian, or American Indian or Alaska Native
• Be active in campus or community activities. This may include membership in honor societies, clubs, civic, social, service, scientific, military or other types of organizations at the university or in the community
• Be authorized to work in the United States. Please note that at this time, the company does not intend to offer this program under OPT or sponsor work visas with respect to these positions.
• Complete the Mercer Diversity Scholarship Program's on-line application.

Finalists for the Diversity Scholarship Program must submit an official transcript. Finalists may also be required to submit a reference letter and a one-page essay on a topic to be determined by Mercer.

The following persons are not eligible:

• Current employees of Mercer or any other MMC entity
• Children of employees of Mercer or any other MMC entity
• College or university faculty members and staff
• Children of college faculty members and staff

Finalists for the scholarship must:

• Provide an official transcript from his or her university
• Agree to interview with Mercer representatives
• Be prepared to submit a reference letter and a one-page essay on a topic to be determined by Mercer.

Program Requirements

In order to remain eligible for the scholarship, the recipient must agree to:

• Accept a paid internship position if offered at one of Mercer's many offices located nationally
• Maintain a GPA of 3.25 or above (on a 4.0 scale) or rank in the top 5 percent of graduating class, if the school uses a ranking system
• Be an ambassador for Mercer at your school.

Evaluation Process

All qualified applications will be reviewed and evaluated on all of the following:

• Successfully meeting Mercer's scholarship criteria
• Academic achievements
• Campus and community involvement
• Leadership potential
• Ability to take initiative
• All other information provided on the on-line application and in the interview

Transcripts, letters of recommendation, and/or an essay may be requested during the evaluation process. Interviews will be part of the evaluation process for students selected as finalists for the scholarship.

Student application

Scholarship applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the earlier of March 9, 2009 or until all Diversity Scholarship Program opportunities have been awarded.

To be considered for Mercer's Diversity Scholarship, students must meet all eligibility requirements as detailed above, complete the on-line application, submit an official transcript, and be willing to accept a paid internship with Mercer, if an opportunity is offered. During the evaluation process, students may be asked to submit their a one-page essay and/or a letter of reference.

Diversity Scholarship Program recipients will be notified of their admission to the program via an offer letter. Every effort will be made to notify recipients within 6 weeks of their interview. Notification of the scholarship awards will be made in writing to the university and the scholarship recipients in Summer 2009. Mercer will issue the award checks to the university and it is the university's responsibility to distribute the awards to the recipient(s).

Mercer reserves the right to suspend or terminate this program at any time. Funds distributed to the universities are to be used by the selected students for educational expenses such as tuition, fees, books and on-campus room and board.

Apply now

To complete an online application for the Mercer Diversity Scholarship Program, please click here.