The Heber J. Grant Program began at Brigham Young University-Idaho in 2005. The objective of the Program is to provide a student-led organization that identifies and assists individuals in their efforts to overcome disadvantaged backgrounds through providing financial support, mentoring, leadership opportunities, and more.

The Heber J. Grant Scholarship is a two-semester, half-tuition award avaliable to students with 30 BYU-Idaho credits or less. To qualify for the scholarship initially, applicants typically meet at least two of the following qualifications:

• The applicant’s family income has been low over time
• The applicant’s parents did not graduate from college
• The applicant was raised in a single parent home
• The applicant’s parents are not active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• The applicant was raised in an area where few attended college
• The applicant has overcome other long-term disadvantages

Students as young as 13 years old can apply for the scholarship. The scholarship will be available to that student when he or she is admitted as a full-time, degree-seeking student at BYU-Idaho.

To continue receiving the scholarship after their initial two-semester award, students are required to reapply and are evaluated for their involvement in service and leadership opportunities locally.

The Heber J. Grant Program provides a mentoring program for all Heber J. Grant Scholars who are interested. In addition, each Heber J. Grant Scholar coming to the university as a new freshman is given a mentor to assist them in the transition to college life.

Students wanting a mentor can fill out this survey to help with their mentor match.

The Heber J. Grant Program also provides a class called the Life Skills Course, GS (General Studies 106). This course is currently a two credit class offered Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:15-4:15PM.

The Life Skills Course covers subjects ranging from time management, to budgeting, to goal setting, to study skills. It is highly recommended that Heber J. Grant Scholars take the class, but is also open to all other interested BYU-Idaho students. This course is taught by a team of highly skilled and trained Peer Facilitators, who are current students, with Administrative supervision.

The program is built on the principles of self-reliance, stewardship, and replenishment.

Self-Reliance: "Nothing destroys the individuality of a man, a woman, or a child as much as the failure to be self-reliant." (President Heber J. Grant)

Stewardship: "And whoso is found a faithful, a just, and a wise steward shall enter into the joy of his Lord, and shall inherit eternal life." (D&C 51:19)

Replenishment : "We have all drunk from wells we did not dig, and warmed ourselves by fires we did not build." (Elder Robert L. Simpson)

Heber Jeddy Grant was born November 22, 1856, in Salt Lake City, Utah to Jedediah M. Grant and Rachel R. Ivins. However, his father passed away nine days later from a lung disease, leaving his mother alone to raise him. Heber wasn’t set back by this event in his infancy; he started his business career at the age of fifteen. He went on to be one of the most successful businessmen in the West. President Grant was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1882 at the age of 25. He was set apart as President of the Church on November 23, 1918, when he was 62.

President Grant had many life experiences that showed his dedication and perseverance. When he was a young boy, President Grant loved to play baseball. Unfortunately, Heber didn’t have the physical strength to throw the ball from base to base; nor did he have the stamina to run or bat well. Naturally, he was in the lowest baseball league in town. Young Heber promised himself that he would be in the league that won the Territory Championship. Knowing that he would need an obvious improvement, Heber spent hours every day throwing a baseball against his neighbor’s barn – a baseball he bought after saving a dollar from shining shoes. Finally, Heber improved so much that he played on the highest league which ended up winning the Territory Championship.

President Grant developed the Church Welfare Program in 1936. With this program he helped lead the Church through the troubling times, such as war, the Great Depression, and other economic downturns. The Church Welfare Program still stands strong today.

President Heber J. Grant passed away on May 14, 1945, after presiding over the Church for nearly 27 years. President Grant was one of the great prophets of this dispensation and will forever be remembered for his ability to overcome disadvantages and lift those around him to higher ground.

Volunteers

If you would like to volunteer for the Heber J. Grant Program, fill out the application here. Once you have filled out the application, you will receive a confirmation email. Afterwards, you will be contacted when volunteer opportunities come available during the semesters you indicate. If you are interested in serving in one of the four areas specifically, please contact them via email:

Ambassadors
Charged with publicizing the program on and off campus, the Ambassadors build relationships with current and future students to increase awareness and provide support. To get involved,

e-mail hjgambassadors@byui.edu.
 

Application Evaluators
By providing support, teaching expectations, and preparing Heber J. Grant Scholars for the application and reapplication process, the Applications Group is able to help students maintain their scholarship. In addition, they assist with the anonymous scoring of applications and building relationships with students before and after they arrive on campus. To get involved,

e-mail hjgapplications@byui.edu.

Instructors
Program participants and any BYU–Idaho student can take a class designed to teach the concepts of self-reliance, stewardship, and replenishment.  Instructors develop the curriculum and coordinate the student teaching of that class. To get involved, e-mail hjginstructors@byui.edu, or for more information click here Life Skills Course.

Mentors

See tab labeled mentor/mentee or email us at hjgmentors@byui.edu.

Mentees:

All incoming freshmen scholars are assigned a mentor to help them adjust to college life during their first two semesters. Mentees need to fill out this survey to help with their mentor match.

Mentors:

If you would like to sign up to be a mentor for the Heber J. Grant Program, please fill out one of the two applications below:

Contact the mentors area at hjgmentors@byui.edu.

Leadership:

The Heber J. Grant Program is a student-led program. Students may serve in one of four areas: Ambassadors, Applications, Mentors, Instructors.

To apply for leadership, fill out this application and be sure to schedule an interview with the Heber J. Grant Program office at 208-496-3153 by the appropriate deadlines.

Peer Facilitators:

Peer Facilitators are leaders in the Instructors portion of the Heber J. Grant Program. Peer Facilitators teach and facilitate the GS (General Studies) 106 course. It is preferred that applicants have previously taken the course or had teaching experience. To apply to be a Peer Facilitator, fill out the application here. You will be notified via email about your interview date and time.

Leadership Exit Survey:

Leaders need to fill out this survey at the end of the Semester they Served in.