Ryan Scott Williamson Memorial Scholarship

Purpose

To promote continuing education for any course of study by awarding scholarships for attendance at institutions of higher education to individuals who demonstrate financial need, academic achievement, community involvement and a strong work ethic. Preference may be given to a student interested in pursuing a degree in the medical field.

Background

Ryan Scott Williamson loved spending time with his family. He enjoyed animals and was an outstanding student who spent hours researching and gathering facts in order for you to understand his point of view and why he was right in his research. One of his teacher’s stated “Ryan was one of the brightest students he ever taught”. “Ryan would wake up at all hours sending me text messages wanting to make sure I totally understood exactly what he meant on a given subject and that I understood it his way, “ added his mom, Dawn. Ryan was a sophomore at Thomas Dale High School and weeks away from his 16th birthday when he lost his life. His plans were to attend Virginia Tech in the fall of 2017 and park a fifth-wheel trailer at his grandparents’ home in Dublin, Va. to serve as his living quarters while attending college. During the memorial service, the Virginia Tech fight song was sung as a tribute to Ryan who was an avid Virginia Tech fan. The song, full of pride and hope, is reminiscent of the impact Ryan had on the lives he touched in his 15 years. First Chorus Techmen, we’re Techmen, with spirit true and faithful, Backing up our teams with hopes undying; Techmen, Oh, Techmen, we’re out to win today, Showing pep and life with which we’re trying; V.P., old V.P., you know our hearts are with you In our luck which never seems to die; Win or lose, we’ll greet you with a glad returning, You’re the pride of V.P.I.

Policy

The scholarship program is available to seniors attending Thomas Dale 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. Please visit www.johnrandolphfoundation.org and click on the scholarship link for more information.

Scholarship Applicants Must

  1. Express an interest in attending a four-year college as a full-time or part-time undergraduate student (at least 6 hours per semester);Preference may be given to a student interested in pursuing a degree in the medical field.
  2. Submit a completed “John Randolph Foundation Scholarship Application” ONLINE which includes the ability to UPLOAD the required “attachments” requested on the application.
  3. Hold or have held a part-time job during high school.
  4. Have a G.P.A of 3.0 or better; and
  5. Demonstrate scholastic achievement, participation in the community and financial need.

Criteria Scoring

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

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 Ryan Scott Williamson 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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