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Scholarships

Lewis Cenker Scholarship- Home Builders Association of Georgia

Lewis Cenker was an Atlanta builder and lawyer who served as President of NAHB (the National Association of Home Builders) in 1974. He is the only Georgian to have served in that position. He was a founding member of HBAG (the Home Builders Association of Georgia) in 1955 and served as their president in 1969.

Scholarships are awarded to qualified students seeking a career directly related to the home building industry.

The following have established special funds by making substantial contributions:

  • Bill and Barbara Beazley Fund
  • Jack Bowles Family Fund
  • John H. Cowart Family Foundation, Inc. Fund
  • Mark Herbert Family Fund
  • Dan & Beverly Saye Fund
  • John Wieland Fund
  • Ray M. Wright Fund

ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP
Lewis Cenker was an Atlanta builder and lawyer who served as President of NAHB (the National Association of Home Builders) in 1974. He is the only Georgian to have served in that position. He was a founding member of HBAG (the Home Builders Association of Georgia) in 1955 and served as their president in 1969. He also served as the president of the Greater Atlanta HBA in 1960.

AWARDS/FUNDING
Scholarship awards will be made in an amount established by the Trustees of the Fund. Funding is obtained by donations from local home builders associations and individual members and may be in the form of cash, bonds, stock, real estate, etc. Special honorary funds my be set up within the Lewis Cenker Scholarship Fund for an individual, family or company making a minimum donation of $35,000 which can be made incrementally. This amount is set by the Trustees of the fund. All local home builders association are encouraged to make annual contributions to reach the level of $35,000 to set up a special fund. Those donations may be made with the stipulation that they are for endowment purposes only, and they shall not be disbursed. Currently, 5% of the value of net assets at year end determines the amount of scholarship awards that will be disbursed the coming school year, at the discretion of the Committee.

SELECTION PROCESS
There are eight trustees/directors of the Lewis Cenker Scholarship Fund Committee who comprise the recipient selection committee. Applicants must be studying in a field directly related to the home building industry. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic excellence, career goals, letters of recommendation, financial need, and other activities related to their studies.

Applications

Applications are due by April 1st of each year.
Click here for an application.

Applications should be mailed to the Home Builders Association of Georgia office prior to April 1st.
Home Builders Association of Georgia
P.O. Box 1570
Senoia, GA 30276
404-763-2453

Scholarship applications are reviewed and graded in the spring of each year by the Committee. Recipients are selected at that meeting and each applicant is notified by letter in June.

​In order to apply for a Lewis Cenker Scholarship, the application must meet the following criteria:

1. Must be entering an area of study directly related to the home building industry.
2. Must be completed in its entirety, verified and signed at a local home builders association.
3. Must be mailed or delivered to the HBAG office on or before March 1st.
4. Must include school transcript confirming at least a “B” grade point average.
5. Must include a concise Career Goals Statement indicating a direct tie to the home building industry.
6. Must include most recent complete tax returns to show financial need.
7. Must include at least two letters of recommendation.
8. Involvement in other activities related to the field of residential construction should be described.​

Faxed applications are NOT acceptable.
E-mailed applications are NOT acceptable.

Congratulations to the 2020 Lewis Cenker Scholarship Recipients!

Brayan Escuador
Georgia Southern University
Statesboro HBA

Daniel Ferrer
University of Miami
HBA of Middle Georgia

Kelsie Rey
Kennesaw State University
HBA of SW Georgia

Allyson Orenstein
University of Georgia
HBA of South Georgia

Thomson High School CTAE Program
BA of Metro Augusta

Evans High School CTAE Program
BA of Metro Augusta

Lee County High School CTAE Program
HBA of Southwest Georgia


"I believe this scholarship encouraged and enabled me to see the construction industry as an option.”
-Austin McKinney, LCSF past recipient
ELIGIBILITY
1. Applicants must be entering or continuing their education at an accredited post-secondary institution or a certified technical school. Applicant must be pursuing courses of study designed to train them in an area directly related to the home building industry.
2. Applications must be submitted by builder members or associate members of the Home Builders Association of Georgia through their local association and be signed by the local executive officer. In rare instances of members-at-large who have no local home builders association office, the application may be submitted directly to the HBAG office, with prior approval of the scholarship coordinator.
3. Applications must be received by mail or delivered to the HBAG office on or before posted deadline.
4. Scholarships shall be awarded annually to be available for the fall semester of each school year. Scholarship award checks will be mailed directly to the school, college, or university.
5. Scholarship amounts will vary. Awards may be made to cover actual training cost for full-time study in an accredited post-secondary institution or an accredited technical school or to a level determined by the Fund’s trustees.
6. Scholarship funds may be applied to cover actual expenses for tuition, fees, books, special supplies or tools necessary for study. Room and board costs may also be covered. Funds may only be applied toward actual expenses for items considered reasonable or routine for any other student enrolled in the same program of study at the same institution.
7. Scholarships are awarded for a one-year period of study. Upon written request from a recipient, providing that all criteria have been met and maintained, extensions beyond the initial scholarship amount may be considered by the Committee.
8. Applicant must have at least a “B” grade average at the time of application, and must maintain a “B” or higher grade for each semester of study completed in order to remain on the scholarship during subsequent semesters. Confirmation of student’s quarterly grades and grade point average must be submitted by means of an official school transcript or grade report in order for the application to be considered.
9. A student approved for scholarship support for full-time study in a particular post-secondary program must continue study in that program in order to remain eligible for this scholarship. In order for the scholarship to be maintained, the student must notify the Committee in writing of any intended change in the area of study. The request will be considered by the Committee and continued funding must be approved.
10. Scholarship awards shall be made with the expectation that the student will remain enrolled in full-time study throughout consecutive semesters or grading periods (summer quarter study not required). Any interruption in continuous enrollment must be justified in writing to the Trustees. Any unjustified interruption in a full-time study schedule may result in cancellation of scholarship funding.
11. Applicant must provide evidence of financial need. Most recently completed tax returns of student (if independent) or parents (if student is a dependent) MUST be submitted with this application.