James T. “Tommy” Buren Memorial Scholarship

Purpose

To promote continuing education for any course of study by awarding scholarships for attendance at institutions of higher learning to individuals who demonstrate academic achievement, extracurricular involvement, financial need and community service.

Background

The James T. (Tommy) Buren Annual Recognition Scholarship was created to recognize and honor the dedication of Foundation Board member, Tommy Buren. Tommy served nine years on the Board of Trustees in different capacities with the commitment of giving back to the community through the Grant and Scholarship Programs, as well as, providing valuable financial knowledge and expertise to the Audit and Investment Advisory Committees. Not only is Tommy a servant to his community through his work on behalf of the Foundation, but recently Tommy retired from The Bank of Southside Virginia after 48 years of serving customers and making the communities more prosperous for residents and businesses alike.

Tommy’s love of community is reflected in his service to the Prince George Volunteer Fire Department Company 1 as a volunteer fireman for 60-plus years, saving countless lives and property. He also served as chairman, vice chairman and secretary on the Prince George County Recreation Advisory Board since it formed in the early 80’s. However, his greatest love is his family. Tommy has lived his entire life in the Prince George community with his wife, Gloria and daughter Leslie, and is the proud grandfather of Bradley Cooper, a 2017 graduate of North Carolina State University.

Policy

The scholarship program is available to seniors or graduates of the Prince George High School. Student interns working for John Randolph Foundation are eligible to apply; however, Foundation trustees, other Foundation employees and their immediate families (parents, spouses, brothers, sisters, and anyone claimed as a dependent for tax purposes) are not eligible to apply.

Scholarship Applicants Must

  1. Express an interest in attending institutions of higher education as a full-time or part-time undergraduate student (at least 6 hours per semester);
  2. Be a well-rounded individual with extracurricular activities;
  3. Must have a G.P.A. of 3.0 or better;
  4. Demonstrate active participation in the community;
  5. Meet the remaining criteria as outlined in the application guidelines;
  6. Submit a completed John Randolph Foundation Scholarship Application ONLINE which includes the ability to UPLOAD the required attachments requested on the application.

Criteria Scoring

  • (5)Letters of Recommendation
  • (5) Financial Need
  • (10)Academics
  • (10)Extracurricular Activities
  • (5) Statement and Essay
  • (10)Community Service

Procedure

The scholarship will be paid directly to the school for current year tuition, fees, books purchased through the institution attended, and on-campus dormitory and meal plan expenses. The scholarship committee will review and evaluate all applications and announce awards each spring. The committee will also review and revise the scholarship policy and criteria as necessary.

The application must be submitted online at johnrandolphfoundation.com.

The deadlines are as follows:

  • The application must be completed online. All required documents must be attached to the online application. Any documents mailed or dropped off at the John Randolph Foundation will not be accepted and the application will be deemed incomplete.
  • The deadline for the submission of the online application is on .
  • If the above due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday, then the deadline becomes the next business day by .
  • Direct any questions to the foundation office at 458-2239.

Required Documents

All required documents must be uploaded with the application. Any mailed or hand-delivered documents will not be accepted.

  • Academic Transcript(s) (High School or College whichever applies.)
  • FAFSA Submission Summary (which includes the Student Aid Index (SAI): formally known as Expected Family Contribution (EFC). SAI is an eligibility index number used to determine federal student aid and is generated from the completed FAFSA Application.
  • Two Letters of Recommendation (Current)

Failure to submit the online application with all documents attached to the application by the deadline will disqualify an applicant from consideration for the James T. “Tommy” Buren Memorial Scholarship. The John Randolph Foundation Scholarship Committee reserves the right to interview applicants in the final stages of selection.

The decision of the scholarship committee in all matters regarding scholarships is final. Canvassing a scholarship benefactor, any John Randolph Foundation trustee or employee shall result in immediate disqualification. Scholarship awards are subject to the availability of funds, meeting the criteria as outlined in the guidelines of the individual scholarship program and contingent upon acceptance and enrollment in an approved program.

John Randolph Foundation respects the privacy of scholarship applicants. Any personal or financial information will be used for the purpose of assessing the scholarship application and will be made available solely to the Foundation’s staff and scholarship selection committee. We make every effort to maintain your confidentiality.

John Randolph Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Organization

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