OU 2026 FALL APP for 1st Time Participation

DeRoy Education Partners (DeEP) Fellowship Program Application
2026 Fall Semester - Oakland University
Application Deadline: March 15, 2026, 11:59 pm (Eastern Time)
Fall 2026 Semester Fellowship Amount: Up to $5,000* (*Paid directly to OU. Participation Beyond the Fall 2026 Semester is subject to (re)application and maximizes at 4 semesters of support.)

The DeEP Fellowship Program is focused on helping students achieve their educational goals while giving back to their communities. The Program centers on three main pillars: (1) financial assistance; (2) extracurricular learnings through topics related to “college knowledge” and career attainment; and (3) personal and community growth through volunteer service.

Eligibility and selection are dependent on the following criteria:
- Academic Achievement (minimum overall GPA of 3.0)
- US Citizenship
- Enrollment Criteria: Applicants must
  - be enrolled as a full time student (12 credit hours or more) in OU's Social Work, BSW Program for the Fall 2026 Semester; and
  - have 4 semesters or less remaining as of beginning of the Fall 2026 Semester to complete their Social Work, BSW degree at OU (as detailed below)
- Leadership qualities and commitment to your education and subsequent intended career, as well as community
- Attendance at monthly in-person Fellowship convenings - Applicants must commit to attending in-person monthly Fellowship convenings
- Volunteering at an established, recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (a minimum of 8 hours each semester is required)
- Personal Statement – either essay (up to 500 words) or a video (up to 3 minutes) that tells us about yourself and how each of the three (3) DeEP Fellowship Program pillars might help you achieve your overall goals, including what you are passionate about and how your education assists you in accomplishing your goals
- Confirming you are pursuing additional financial aid opportunities which can be bundled with the financial assistance provided by DeEP. By applying for financial aid from more than one source, you are not only helping yourself, but also paying it forward to your student community by enabling DeEP to maximize the number of DeEP Fellows it can include in its Fellowship Program.
Name

First NameLast Name
OU Email*
Phone Number*
Please enter a valid phone number.
Are you a citizen of the USA?*

YesNo
INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR EDUCATIONAL PATH AT OU and CONFIRMING UNDERSTANDING OF DeEP's ONGOING CREDIT HOUR & CUMULATIVE GPA REQUIREMENTS
Please confirm that as of the 2026 Fall Semester (i) you will be enrolled as a full time student (12 credit hours or more) in OU's Social Work, BSW program; and (ii) you will have 4 or less semesters remaining to complete your OU Social Work, BSW degree. (*Participation as a DeEP Fellow is subject to a re-application process demonstrating you meet certain criteria.)*

Yes, I confirm I meet all of the credit hour requirements above.
What is your intended graduation date?*

MonthDayYear
Date
What is your cumulative GPA?*
What classes and how many credit hours will you be taking in the 2026 Fall Semester?*
Ongoing Credit Hour Minimum Requirement*

I understand that I must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours in my OU Social Work, BSW program during the 2026 Fall Semester to be and remain eligible to continue to apply for and receive semester-to-semester financial support and remain a DeEP Fellow beyond the 2026 Fall Semester.
Ongoing Cumulative GPA Requirement*

I understand I must maintain at least a cumulative OVERALL GPA of 3.0 to be eligible to apply for and receive semester-to-semester financial support and remain a DeEP Fellow. I also understand that maintaining a minimum OVERALL GPA of 3.0 does not guarantee that I will be accepted each semester I apply to participate in the DeEP Fellowship Program.
CONVENING REQUIREMENT
Convening Attendance Requirement*

I understand and agree that (i) in order to participate in the 2026 Fall Semester DeEP Fellowship Program, I must attend monthly, in-person DeEP Convenings; (ii) attending monthly DeEP Convenings is an ongoing requirement to my eligibility to apply to and participate in the DeEP Fellowship Program; and (iii) missing more than one monthly DeEP Convening during the course of the 2026 Fall Semester without "good cause" renders me ineligible to apply to continue to participate in the DeEP Fellowship Program beyond the 2026 Fall Semester. *"Good cause" excusing the monthly in-person Convening requirement (or permitting virtual attendance) means an unforeseeable circumstance that arises during the Semester which is brought to DeEP's attention and is thereafter determined by DeEP.
COMMUNITY SERVICE - 8 HOUR MINIMUM REQUIRMENT
I am able to volunteer a minimum of 8 hours to community service at an established nonprofit 501(c)(3) institution or organization during the 2026 Fall Semester in accordance with the following terms:*

(i) I confirm that my schedule will allow me to volunteer a minimum of 8 hours during the 2026 Fall Semester; and (ii) I understand that volunteering a minimum of 8 hours to community service each semester is mandatory and that if I do not meet this requirement during the 2026 Fall Semester I will be ineligible to apply to continue to participate as a DeEP Fellow beyond the 2026 Fall Semester. PLEASE NOTE: Only recognized, established 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable institutions and organizations are approved for volunteer/community service - e.g., general nonprofits, nonprofit libraries, nonprofit community service groups, etc. *Examples that will NOT be approved include: chores like mowing lawns or shoveling snow for neighbors, friends, or family; babysitting; working for family for free; donating time to a for profit business.
If you currently volunteer, please tell us the name of the organization and whether you plan to continue to volunteer there or are open to volunteering somewhere else to satisfy the community (non-profit) involvement required by the DeEP Fellowship.
If you do not currently volunteer time to a community non-profit organization, please tell us the type of community non-profit organization that interests you and why you would like to volunteer time there.
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW THE PILLARS OF THE DeEP FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM MIGHT HELP YOU
Please submit an essay (up to 500 words) or a video (up to 3 minutes) that tells us about yourself and how the DeEP Fellowship Program pillars (financial assistance, extracurricular learnings at convenings, and personal growth through community service) might help you achieve your overall goals. Include what you are passionate about and how your education assists you in accomplishing these goals. Please be specific. Use examples. *
Essay or Video File Upload - please upload your submission without permission restrictions so that we may access it without inconveniencing you.

If you already typed your essay in the space provided in the prior box, no need to upload it.
Cancelof
Is there any other information you’d like us to know about you (up to 500 words)?
Confirming you are pursuing additional financial aid opportunities
Please confirm that you have submitted a FAFSA application to OU for the current award year and/or have submitted an application to OU or another institution/organization for some other type of financial aid-based scholarship or grant for the current award year. (Please Click all that apply.)*

Yes, I have submitted a FAFSA Application to OU for the current award year.Yes, I have submitted an application to OU/another organization for financial aid and/or another type of scholarship or grant for the current award year prior to submitting this Application.Other
If you clicked "Other" in the box above, please tell us why.
Confirming you understand that Semester-to-Semester Participation is Subject to Re-application & Maximizes At 4 Semesters
Please click ALL the boxes below to confirm that you understand and agree that continued semester to semester participation is not guaranteed, but rather subject to submitting an application demonstrating you meet required criteria and that 4 Semesters is the maximum level of financial and programming support the Program offers.*

I understand that acceptance and participation in the 2026 Fall Semester DeEP Fellowship Program does not guarantee continued semester to semester acceptance or participation beyond the 2026 Fall Semester.I understand that semester to semester participation as a DeEP Fellow is subject to submitting an application demonstrating that I meet certain criteria each semester.I understand that 4 Semesters is the maximum level of support offered by the DeEP Fellowship Program and that, should I attain that level of support, I will have attained all the support (financial, programming, etc.) and participation offered by DeEP. In other words, if and once I reach 4 Semesters of support, I understand and agree that my ability to receive financial/programming support from the DeEP Fellowship Program ends as I will have attained the maximum support level the Program offers.I understand that the financial support provided by DeEP may not and cannot be applied to tuition, fees, or textbook costs previously paid for on my behalf by DeEP's financial support in a prior semester if such tuition/fees/textbook costs is/was forfeited without reimbursement or refund to DeEP. In other words, I understand that DeEP's financial support will not be applied to a class/credit hours/tuition or related fees and book costs more than once.
Authorization to Oakland University to Release Academic Record to DeRoy Education Partners

I hereby request and authorize the release of information contained in my student record at Oakland University (OU) to DeRoy Education Partners (DeEP) for the purpose of evaluation and selecting DeEP Fellows. I Further Consent to my Application and Supporting Documents being shared with individuals participating on the selection of DeEP Fellows.
Name*

First NameLast Name
Signature*

Clear
Date*

MonthDayYear
Date
Certification

I hereby certify that all statements contained, and information provided, in this application, including attachments, are truthful to the best of my knowledge.
Name*

First NameLast Name
Signature*

Clear
Date*

MonthDayYear
Date
Likeness/Image/Media Release and Authorization to Oakland University and DeRoy Education Partners to Transmit Data/Information

I irrevocably grant permission to Oakland University (OU) and DeRoy Education Partners (DeEP) to use my name and likeness in a photograph and/or in a video/audio/electronic recording of me, including as to my name, image and voice, in any and all media campaigns, websites, brochures, programs and books of any kind, radio, television, Facebook, Twitter a/k/a X, Instagram, virtual presentations and/or meetings, and any other social media outlets that either deems necessary to publicize and share with others that I have been selected, reselected and/or have participated as a DeEP Fellow. I also grant DeEP and OU authorization to transmit data and information about my activity/selection/participation in the DeEP Fellowship Program via the internet, and that such data and information may include but is not limited to essays, survey responses and/or testimonials I make or submit. I understand and agree that I am giving permission to DeEP and OU to publicize, market, advertise and/or post any and all of the foregoing, in whole or in part, in any media campaigns, websites, brochures, flyers, programs and books of any kind, radio, television, Facebook, Twitter a/k/a X, Instagram, virtual presentations and/or meetings, and any other social media outlets that DeEP or OU deems necessary to publicize and share with others regarding my activity with and/or participation in the DeEP Fellowship Program. I acknowledge that I will not be compensated or provided any other consideration for such publication and dissemination, and I hereby waive any rights, privileges or claims based on any right of publicity, privacy, ownership or any other rights arising, relating to or resulting from the photographs, images, recordings and/or transmittal of data/information.
Name*

First NameLast Name
Signature*

Clear
Date*

MonthDayYear
Date
REMINDER: Applications are due by March 15, 2026, 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time)
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DeRoy Education Partners (DeEP) Fellowship Program Application

2026 Fall Semester - Oakland University

Application Deadline: March 15, 2026, 11:59 pm (Eastern Time)

INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR EDUCATIONAL PATH AT OU and CONFIRMING UNDERSTANDING OF DeEP's ONGOING CREDIT HOUR & CUMULATIVE GPA REQUIREMENTS

CONVENING REQUIREMENT

COMMUNITY SERVICE - 8 HOUR MINIMUM REQUIRMENT

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW THE PILLARS OF THE DeEP FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM MIGHT HELP YOU

Confirming you are pursuing additional financial aid opportunities

Confirming you understand that Semester-to-Semester Participation is Subject to Re-application & Maximizes At 4 Semesters

Authorization to Oakland University to Release Academic Record to DeRoy Education Partners

Certification

Likeness/Image/Media Release and Authorization to Oakland University and DeRoy Education Partners to Transmit Data/Information

REMINDER: Applications are due by March 15, 2026, 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time)