(a) To be eligible to nominate a student for recognition, a sponsoring organization or entity must:
  (1) be a local hospital or hospital auxiliary, rural health clinic, foundation, civic organization, city council, chamber of commerce, commissioners courts, or any combination of such organizations;
  (2) be located in a rural community, as defined in §487.101 of the Texas Government Code, in Texas;
  (3) agree to provide 50% of the student's cost of attendance, if the nominee is selected to receive a forgivable loan; and
  (4) be in good standing with the department.
(b) A sponsoring organization may solicit applications from students interested in health care careers at a local high school or college.
(c) Rural communities shall select students for nomination and sponsorship as outstanding rural scholars based on the following criteria:
  (1) the student's academic performance;
  (2) the results of one or more sponsor interviews with the student;
  (3) a typed essay of no more than 500 words discussing the following:
    (A) a description of the health care profession the student is pursuing;
    (B) the student's reasons for entering the chosen health care profession; and
    (C) the student's reasons for wanting to provide health care to rural Texans;
  (4) a minimum of three letters of recommendation from professional staff of the student's high school or college, or from employers or community leaders who have known the student for at least one year; and
  (5) the community's needs.

Source Note: The provisions of this §30.142 adopted to be effective January 1, 2015, 39 TexReg 10395