Golden LEAF is pleased to announce 215 new scholarships have been awarded to support students attending four-year colleges or universities in North Carolina this fall. This year’s scholarship recipients hail from 73 rural counties and most have lived in rural North Carolina all of their life. Students will receive $3,000 each year for up to four years of undergraduate study while attending a participating college or university.
“Congratulations to this year’s Golden LEAF Scholarship recipients,” said Scott T. Hamilton, Golden LEAF Foundation President, Chief Executive Officer. “These impressive students were selected out of a pool of more than 1,500 applicants. We are proud to provide scholarships to these hardworking and bright students with deep roots in their rural communities. We look forward to getting to know the scholars as they follow their education pursuits and develop into North Carolina’s next generation of rural leaders.”
The Board of Directors established the Golden LEAF Scholarship Program more than 20 years ago to broaden educational opportunities for students from rural counties with the hope that after graduation recipients will return to a rural community. Recipients are selected based on career and educational goals, a review of school and community service activities, academic performance, length of residence in the county and expressed intent to contribute to the state’s rural communities upon graduation from college. The North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA) administers the program and selects students for awards.
These scholarships help students pursue careers in fields such as education, healthcare, agribusiness, and public policy. Get to know some of Golden LEAF’s 2021-2022 scholarship recipients in this short video.