Patrick County Fair 2024

Supporting our community through education

31 students received 2024 scholarships in the amount of $61,500 from the Stuart Rotary Student Loan and Scholarship Foundation

STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

The Stuart Rotary Student Loan and Scholarship Foundation, Inc. was created in 1968 with the main purpose to receive donations of money and property in order to offer low interest loans to Patrick County graduates to pursue their education beyond high school. The scholarship component, providing scholarships to PCHS graduating seniors, was added in 1976. Since the 1968 loan program began, 144 loans totaling $170,375 have been provided to Patrick County students attending college. Students begin repayment of the loan six (6) months after college graduation. From 1976 to the present, 393 scholarships totaling $385,950 have been provided to graduating seniors.

FIRST GENERATION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

The Foundation began a new initiative in 2019 entitled the First-Generation Scholarship Program and funded two (2) scholarships in its initial year of implementation. Applicants must be the first individual in his/her family to attend college. In addition to an extensive application and interview process, recipients had to commit to maintain an acceptable college GPA and outstanding discipline record, participate in and attend certain Rotary meetings and events, and perform an annual minimum of sixteen (16) hours of community service. Recipients of the First-Generation Scholarships will also be assigned a mentor from the Stuart Rotary

Club who will guide, advise, and assist students through their college experiences. The First Generation Scholarship program provides a $2,000 scholarship annually for a maximum of 4 years (totaling $8,000) or until a bachelor’s degree is received. Of the thirty-one (31) awarded scholarships, four (4) students have been chosen for the 2024 First-Generation Scholarships. Funding for two (2) of these $8,000 scholarships was provided by the Pauline H. and W. Blair Clark, Sr. and Family Scholarship Account and the remaining two (2) scholarships were funded by Stuart Rotary Club.

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