Tri State Educational Foundation

Iuka, Mississippi

The Tri State Educational Foundation was granted tax exempt status on July 2, 1999. The Foundation became a reality due to the efforts of Dr. Bob Ferguson, a retired superintendent, and his wife, Sylvia Ferguson, a retired teacher.

Dr. and the late Mrs. Ferguson are from New Albany, MS. Combined, they served the school districts of Corinth, Columbia, Marion County, Long Beach, Pass Christian, Picayune, and Tishomingo County in Mississippi, and the Kansas City School District in Kansas. They formed the Foundation for the purpose of providing financial support to those seeking ways to better themselves through education.

Tri State Educational Foundation has a five-member Board of Directors, as well as an Executive Director and Secretary who oversee the day-to-day operations of the Foundation.

Dr. Bob & Mrs. Sylvia Ferguson

Founders

Kristi Lovelace

Iuka, MS

Board Chairperson

Nancy Brown

Iuka, MS

Board Sec./Treas.

Sara Ellington

Corinth, MS

Board Member

D.D. Lambert

Iuka, MS

Board Member

Braxton Phelps

Bay St. Louis, MS

Board Member

Dana Degraw

Iuka, MS

Exec. Director

Meagan Harris

Dennis, MS

Secretary

Scholarships

Each year, TSEF awards hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships through proceeds from Riverhills Bingo. New scholarships are awarded once a year at our May Board Meeting. Applications must be received in the TSEF office by APRIL 15TH of each year. Incomplete and/or late applications WILL NOT be processed. Also, please do not apply if all of your charges are covered by other scholarships and grants. Tri State will not be billed and will not pay if a student has a credit balance.

Should the Foundation receive an application deemed as a hardship, the Board may then consider and award a scholarship at any given time.

Priority Areas

Article II of the by-laws of the Tri State Educational Foundation identifies priority areas as: the population residing in a school district lying within or touching a 50-mile radial circle of Iuka, MS will receive priority consideration, with Iuka and Tishomingo County receiving first consideration. However, other educational needs in other areas throughout the state may be considered at times.

The following counties are included in the 50-mile radial circle of Iuka, MS:

Mississippi: Alcorn, Itawamba, Lee, Prentiss, Tippah, Tishomingo, and Union

Alabama: Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, and Marion

Tennessee: Chester, Hardeman, Hardin, Lawrence, McNairy, and Wayne

How Tri State Scholarships Work

Tri State Scholarships are supplemental scholarships. This means that Tri State will pay AFTER all other scholarships and grants have been applied to the student's account. Payment will be made to the school once we receive billing for the student; we can never pay a student directly. Tri State funds may ONLY be used for items billed through the college/university, such as tuition, books, necessary supplies (must be approved by Tri State), fees, on-campus meal plans, and/or dormitory. These items may vary by school. Some schools are able to bill for books and supplies, and some are not.

Tri State will not be billed and will not pay if a student's charges are fully covered by other scholarships and grants. Again, our scholarships are supplemental.

Tri State assists with undergraduate degrees in any field and graduate degrees in education only.

Scholarship Requirements

Undergraduate students who have been awarded a Tri State Scholarship are expected to meet the following deadlines/requirements:

Each Semester

Maintain at least a 2.0 term GPA

Have no failures

Complete a minimum of 12 hours

Each Year

April 15th → Reapplication Form due

June 1st → Spring grades & End of Semester Form due

December 23rd → Fall grades & End of Semester Form due

Failure to meet the TSEF requirements will result in scholarship probation, including a loss of funds for the following semester.

Graduate students are expected to meet the same requirements, with two exceptions. There is no minimum hour requirement for graduate students; and since graduate scholarships are typically one-time awards, there’s no need to reapply unless otherwise noted on the student’s award letter.

Dates to Remember

Scholarship Application

Scholarship Reapplication

End of Semester Form

Grants

Grants are offered to teachers, schools, and other organizations for special educational projects benefitting students, schools, and the community. Grant requests can be submitted at any time but preferably a minimum of six weeks prior to the date funds are needed. This will allow sufficient time for your request to be reviewed and a decision to be made.

Grant Application

Final Grant Report

As of January 31, 2024, Tri State Educational Foundation has paid out over 16 million dollars in scholarships and grants. This would not be possible without proceeds from Riverhills Bingo.

Riverhills Bingo offers traditional paper bingo, as well as electronic bingo on fixed and handheld computers.

In addition to bingo, they also offer paper and electronic pull tabs.

Doors open at 4:00 PM Monday through Saturday and at 12:00 Noon on Sunday for a double session.