Scholarship terms

FEDORA PROJECT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM 2012
Official Rules

No Purchase Necessary. A purchase will not increase your chances of receiving a scholarship.

The Fedora Project Scholarship Program ("Scholarship Program") is sponsored by Red Hat, Inc. ("Red Hat" or "Sponsor") and recognizes one high school or secondary school student (or home-schooled student) for contributions to either the Fedora Project or to any other free software or content program (collectively referred to as the "Project").

1. TERM: The application period for the Scholarship Program is from 12:00:00 AM, November 8, 2011, Eastern Standard Time ("EST") to 11:59:59 PM EST, February 24, 2012 ("Program Application Term").

2. ELIGIBILITY: To be eligible to participate in the Scholarship Program, you must: (i) be enrolled as a high school or secondary school student (or home-schooled student) during the Program Application Term, or have graduated with a high school or secondary school diploma within two (2) years of the start of the Program Application Term; (ii) regularly and consistently make quality contributions to the Project; (iii) will be enrolled as a full-time student at an accredited institution of higher learning (colleges, universities, and technical / vocational schools) (the "Institution") during the Fall of 2012 ("Eligible Students" or "you"); (iv) have an overall grade point average equal to or exceeding a "B" average, or institutional equivalent at your Institution (if currently attending the Institution); and (v) obtain any necessary parental consent, as described below. Eligible Students must be able to provide the Sponsor, upon its request, evidence of their enrollment at an accredited Institution. Employees, officers, directors, agents, and representatives of Red Hat, Inc., and its respective subsidiaries, affiliates, and anyone connected with the production and distribution of the Scholarship Program, and their immediate families (spouse, parents, children, siblings, and each of their spouses regardless of where they live) or members of their households are not eligible to apply. Void where prohibited. All federal, state, provincial and local laws, and regulations apply.

3. PARENTAL CONSENT: Red Hat must obtain consent from a parent or legal guardian of any Eligible Student who is under the age of 18 before such student will be allowed to apply for the Scholarship Program. Any Eligible Student under the age of 18 who wishes to participate in the Scholarship Program must first provide Red Hat with the phone number or email address of the Eligible Student's parent or legal guardian via an email message titled "Fedora Scholarship Application Parental Consent." The email message should be sent to the following email address: scholarship@fedoraproject.org. Red Hat will then contact the Eligible Student's parent or legal guardian to obtain the appropriate parental consent. Eligible Students under age 18 cannot apply for the Scholarship Program if their parent or legal guardian fails to respond to a request for consent or denies consent.

4. HOW TO ENTER: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR RECEIVE THE SCHOLARSHIP. During the Program Application Term, Eligible Students (after obtaining parental consent if necessary) may apply by submitting their Applications via an electronic mail message titled "Fedora Scholarship Application" to the following email address: scholarship@fedoraproject.org. A complete Application must include the following components: (i) the name, age, and Fedora Account System username of the Eligible Student; (ii) a resume, including contributions to the Project; (iii) a 500 – 1000 word personal statement indicating why the Eligible Student would like to be considered for the Scholarship Program; and (iv) the names and contact information of two references from within the Fedora Project ("Application"). Eligible Students may also submit the names and contact information of up to two additional references of their choice (the additional references do not necessarily need to be open source project contributors - references such as high school teachers may be used). Attachments must be submitted in any of the following file formats: .TXT, .PDF, or .ODT. Only Applications submitted in English will be accepted. Applications become the property of Red Hat and will not be returned. For more details on the ownership of the application, see Paragraph 12. In the event of a dispute as to the identity of any Eligible Student’s application, the authorized account holder of the electronic mail address used to enter will be deemed to be the Eligible Student. The "authorized account holder" is the natural person assigned an email address by an Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization responsible for assigning electronic mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted address. LIMIT: ONE APPLICATION PER ELIGIBLE STUDENT.

5. SELECTION OF SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT: The Sponsor is looking for Eligible Students who have contributed to the Project and who have submitted a well-written personal statement that clearly and creatively addresses the topic. A qualified selection committee comprised of Red Hat employees or agents (the "Committee") will select the scholarship recipient ("Recipient") based of the following criteria: (i) the originality and functionality of the Eligible Student's contributions to the Project; (ii) the length of time that the Eligible Student has been contributing to the Project; (iii) the quality of the Application, including,but not limited to, the thoroughness, originality and reasoning described in the personal statement and the applicability of the Eligible Student's other activities to the Project as demonstrated on the submitted resume; and (iv) the reviews and evaluations provided by references. In the event the Committee determines that there are two or more Eligible Students who submitted comparable Applications that are also the top Applications when considering the criteria, the Committee will select the Eligible Student who has made the most valuable contributions to the Fedora Project to be the Recipient. On or about April 3, 2012, the Eligible Student chosen to receive the scholarship ("potential Recipient") will be selected and notified by telephone and/or email, at Red Hat’s discretion. If the potential Recipient does not respond to the notification attempt within 10 days from the first notification attempt, then such potential Recipient will be disqualified and an alternate potential Recipient will be selected from among all eligible Applications received based on the judging criteria described herein. With respect to notification by telephone, such notification will be deemed given when the potential Recipient engages in a live conversation with Sponsor or when a message is left on the potential Recipient’s voicemail service or answering machine by the Sponsor, whichever occurs first. The Recipient may be publicly announced on or about May 31, 2011.

6. SCHOLARSHIP: The Recipient will receive a scholarship in the amount of $2,000 USD (the "Funds") per year for a maximum term of four years. The Funds will be disbursed by check directly to the Recipient’s Institution in the amount of $1,000 USD during each fall and spring semester, provided that the Recipient continues meets the criteria described in Paragraph 7, below. The total scholarship award amount received shall not exceed $8,000 USD. The Recipient - if he/she chooses to attend - will also receive additional funding each year (for a maximum of four years) for travel and lodging expenses spent to attend the Fedora Users and Developers Conference ("FUDCon") at the location nearest to the Recipient’s Institution address. An Eligible Student’s chance of receiving the Funds depends on the number of applicants and the contents of the Eligible Student's Application.

7. CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY: The Recipient has a continuing obligation to remain eligible to receive the Funds. To remain eligible, the Recipient must: (i) continuously be enrolled as a full-time student at an Institution, except for customary vacation periods; (ii) complete all semesters with both a semester grade point average and an overall grade point average equal to or exceeding a "B" average or the institutional equivalent at the Recipient’s Institution; and (iii) continue to be actively involved in the Project. Failure to remain eligible will result in forfeiture of any remaining Funds.

8. GENERAL CONDITIONS: By participating in the Scholarship Program, you agree to be bound by these Official Rules. The Recipient must execute and return a notarized Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability and Publicity Release within ten days of notification of selection or it will be concluded that the Funds have been declined and, without further notice, an alternative Recipient may be selected by the Committee. If the Recipient is a minor in the Recipient’s state or country of residence, the Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability, and Publicity Release must be signed by a parent or guardian on behalf of the minor Recipient. If a potential Recipient fails to comply fully with these Official Rules or if a notification of selection to receive the Funds is returned or cannot be delivered, it will be concluded definitively that the Funds have been declined and, without further notice, an alternative recipient may be selected by a qualified selection committee. Red Hat reserves the right to disqualify any Application if, in the Sponsor’s sole judgment, the Eligible Student has not complied with these Official Rules. Without limitation, an Eligible Student’s Application will be disqualified if the Eligible Student: (i) attempts to enter the Scholarship Program through means other than those described in these Official Rules; (ii) violates these Official Rules; (iii) provides information that is inaccurate or fraudulent; or (iv) attempts to circumvent the terms and conditions of these Official Rules.

9. TAXES: Taxes on the Funds are the sole responsibility of the Recipient. In order to receive the Funds, the Recipient must submit the tax documentation requested by Red Hat, or otherwise required by applicable law, to Red Hat or the relevant tax authority, all as determined by applicable law, including, where relevant, the law of the Recipient’s country of residence. Recipients who are residents of the United States may be issued an IRS 1099 tax form.

10. PRIVACY: Information that Eligible Students provide to Red Hat will be used to communicate with them regarding this Scholarship Program and otherwise as set forth in these Official Rules. By submitting an Application, all Eligible Students acknowledge and agree that the information provided will be maintained on Red Hat’s server and/or the server of those responsible for maintaining the website and/or administering the Scholarship Program, all in accordance with Red Hat’s Privacy Statement available at http://www.redhat.com/legal/privacy_statement.html.

11. PUBLICITY: By accepting Funds from the Scholarship Program, the Recipient agrees without any limitation or further compensation or notice that Sponsor may use the Recipient’s name, voice and/or likeness in any and all media, worldwide, for the purpose of advertising and promoting the Sponsor, the Scholarship Program, or any other scholarship, promotion, contest or sweepstakes sponsored by Red Hat.

12. OWNERSHIP: By submitting an Application, you acknowledge and agree: (a) that you are the sole author of the personal statement in the Application; (b) to grant Red Hat a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to use, reproduce, publicly perform, publicly display and create a derivative work from, any portion of the Application or written personal statement submitted for purposes of the Scholarship Program, by means of any and all media and devices whether now known or hereafter devised, and to advertise, display, demonstrate, or otherwise promote the Sponsor, the Scholarship Program, or any other scholarship, promotion, contest or sweepstakes sponsored by Red Hat.

13. WARRANTY AND INDEMNITY: By submitting an Application, you represent and warrant to Red Hat that the written personal statement submitted as part of your Application: (i) is your own original work; (ii) is not the subject of any actual or threatened litigation or claim; (iii) neither infringes upon nor violates the intellectual property rights or other rights of any other person or entity; and (iv) does not and will not violate any applicable laws, and meets the conditions set forth above. Red Hat is not responsible for those who cannot access the Internet or cannot phone for any period of time regardless of technical, hardware, software, telephone, Internet, virus contamination or network problems, and for delay, failure or malfunction for any reason. Red Hat is not responsible for illegible, lost, late, misdirected, damaged or incomplete applications. Proof of application is not proof of entry receipt. Red Hat reserves the right to cancel/terminate, modify or suspend the Scholarship Program if in its sole determination it believes that the integrity of the Scholarship Program has been, or could be, compromised or that the Scholarship Program is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or force majeur or any other causes beyond its control. Red Hat assumes no liability for damage caused to any Eligible Student’s or any other person’s/entity’s computer hardware, software or communications network, regardless of cause. By applying for the Scholarship Program, an Eligible Student explicitly releases and holds harmless Red Hat, its respective affiliates, agents, subsidiaries, successors and its respective promotion, advertising, design, web design, web hosting and production agencies and print production agencies and all their respective shareholders, directors, officers and employees, from all liability (including attorney’s fees and costs) regarding participation in the Scholarship Program and receipt and use or misuse of any Funds awarded and, without limitation, from any liability for property damage, injury or death while using any such Funds.

14. DISPUTE RESOLUTION: Eligible Students agree that any and all disputes, claims, and actions arising out of or connected with this Scholarship Program or the Funds awarded and all issues and questions concerning the validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively in a court of competent jurisdiction sitting in Wake County, North Carolina. Any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering this Scholarship Program and never shall include consequential, incidental or punitive damages, and in no event attorney’s fees. Some jurisdictions do not allow the limitation or exclusion of liability for incidental or consequential damages, so the above may not apply to you.

15. LIST OF RECIPIENT: The recipient of the Fedora Scholarship will be posted at http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Scholarship on or about May 31, 2012.

16. SPONSOR: This Scholarship Program is sponsored by Red Hat, Inc., 1801 Varsity Drive, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA.