The Murray Watson Jr. Scholarship Terms and Conditions

This document outlines the Terms and Conditions for the Murray Watson Jr. Scholarship, administered by the Brazos Education Foundation. By submitting an application for our scholarship, you are agreeing to these terms and conditions.

You must read these Terms and Conditions in their entirety before you accept your scholarship offer. When you accept your scholarship you are agreeing to and accepting these Terms and Conditions and agree to the requirements and conditions of your scholarship.

• All correspondence between applicant and the Foundation will be operated primarily by electronic means, with the option of telephone communication, based on the Foundation's decision. All applicants must use a current and active email address and phone number to be eligible. It is your responsibility to provide the Foundation with any changes to your email address and phone number. By providing a mobile number, you are agreeing to be contacted about your scholarship application via voice or text at that number. Any failure to provide or update your email address and phone number, after submission of your application, may result in forfeiture of your application.

• Any successful applicant will be required to provide proof that they are enrolled in, or have been accepted and committed to attend, a U.S. accredited state or nonprofit college or university (note, you do not have to attend a school in Texas, but must be a Texas resident) in order to receive and accept the scholarship. Except as provided herein, one scholarship will be awarded each month. Applications for each monthly period will be those received at 12:00 a.m. Central Time ("CT") on the 1st day of the month until 11:59 p.m. CT on the last day of the month. The Foundation's computer is the official time-keeping device for each scholarship period.

• All students offered scholarships will receive an official "award" email offering the scholarship. To accept the scholarship, all students, with 30 days of receipt of such "award" email, must provide the Foundation their (i) proof of enrollment, (ii) student ID number, and (iii) college's payment instructions as to where the Foundation can properly disburse scholarship funds. The award email will contain specific instructions that must be used to provide the required additional documentation and information.

• Failure to provide proof of enrollment, student ID number, or a college's payment instructions as to where the Foundation can properly disburse scholarship funds, within this 30-day period may result in the scholarship offer being withdrawn and rescinded, in our sole and absolute discretion. All students that cannot provide this information within 30 days shall be required to contact the Foundation within 30 days of such award to explain their situation. The Foundation, in its sole and absolute discretion may decide to extend the 30-day period deadline.

• The Foundation will make payment of the scholarship funds in one single installment directly to the school. The total dollar amount of the scholarship offered will be outlined in the official offer email. Scholarship funds will be disbursed to colleges in the normal financial aid disbursement cycle and in accordance with the Foundation normal accounting practices. Winners will be notified when their single award will be disbursed to their designated school. Scholarship funds that cannot be disbursed to the designated school by the fall or spring semester occurring immediately following the scholarship award email will be forfeited and will not be re-awarded. For any returned or rejected funds, the Foundation will notify the scholarship winner who has full responsibility to obtain and provide corrected disbursement information from the college to the Foundation. The Foundation assumes no responsibility to contact the recipient's college to obtain updated information or ensure the scholarship funds are accepted on behalf of the recipient.

• Scholarships are awarded based on established eligibility criteria. You must meet the eligibility requirements to receive your scholarship payment. The eligibility requirements for each scholarship are outlined on our scholarship page of our website, the application and your award letter. Failure to provide any requested information or documentation will result in your award being forfeited.

•Officers, members, directors, representatives and employees of the Foundation, Brazos Higher Education and any of the companies managed by Brazos Higher Educations, their parent companies, affiliated companies, subsidiaries and persons engaged in the development or production of materials for this scholarship are not eligible to participate in the scholarship. Additionally, the immediate family members of said parties (defined as spouse, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren and siblings whether biological, adopted, step or in-law) of such individuals, or persons living in the same household (whether related or not), are not eligible to participate in the scholarship.  Also, you are not eligible to participate in the scholarship if you or your immediate family members are employed by the financial aid office of the school for which you are accepted to attend or enrolled as stated in your application.

• You may only win the scholarship once. You may only apply once per any academic year (defined as August - July). A minimum of ten (10) scholarship applications must be received in the month in order for a winner to be selected. If less than ten (10) are received in a month, the applications received may be considered in the next monthly award cycle where more than ten (10) applications are received. If more than fifty (50) applications are received in any monthly scholarship period, the Foundation, in its sole discretion, may conduct a random selection from the total applications received to select a total of fifty (50) applications that will be reviewed and considered for the scholarship. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO WIN. Taking out a loan will not increase your chances of being selected or considered for selection.

• By accepting the scholarship, the winner agrees that scholarship funds will only be used for "qualified education expenses", which include tuition, fees and books, but specifically excludes room and board, all as identified by the Internal Revenue Service. The winner is fully responsible for communicating with the school regarding the appropriate application of the funds. It is the winner's responsibility to consult with a tax professional concerning reporting the scholarship award on the applicable tax return. The Foundation is not responsible for and cannot provide you with financial advice on taxation matters. The Foundation is not responsible for checking and notifying you of, nor paying any taxation obligations. The information provided here is of a general nature only and does not take into account your individual financial circumstances.

• By accepting the scholarship, the winner grants a release to the Foundation to use information regarding the winner, including but not limited to, name, major, school attending, and statements made by the winner regarding the scholarship. The release also includes the use of images, photographs, and video recordings that have been provided to or taken by the Foundation or its representative with the winner’s consent. Images, photographs, or video recordings may may be used on the website, social media sites, advertisements and newsletters.

• Providing false or misleading information is an offense. If the Foundation knows or has reason to believe that you have provided false or misleading information, the Foundation may reassess your award of the scholarship and you will be liable to re-pay to the Foundation the total sum of any payments incorrectly made on your behalf to your school.

• The Foundation reserves the right to share your application with any company affiliates, including personal information such as your email address. To the extent legally required, a list of winners may be made available upon written request.

BY SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION, YOU WILL BE AFFIRMING THAT ALL STATEMENTS INCLUDED IN YOUR APPLICATION AND SCHOLARSHIP PACKET ARE TRUE, COMPLETE AND CORRECT, AND WILL BE AUTHORIZING THE FOUNDATION TO INVESTIGATE OF ALL MATTERS THAT WE DEEM RELEVANT TO YOUR APPLICATION, INCLUDING ALL STATEMENTS MADE IN YOUR APPLICATION AND ANY ATTACHMENTS OR SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS YOU PROVIDE. YOU WILL ALSO BE AUTHORIZING THE FOUNDATION TO REQUEST AND RECEIVE SUCH INFORMATION AND RELEASE THE MURRAY WATSON JR. EDUCATION FOUNDATION (AND ANY AFFILIATES) FROM ALL LIABILITY THAT MIGHT RESULT FROM MAKING SUCH AN INVESTIGATION.

The Foundation reserves the right to change or eliminate the scholarship program at any time or to change these Terms and Conditions at any time in its sole discretion.

Effective: March 19, 2024