We are thrilled to announce this year’s class of 33 outstanding college-bound students from North Carolina and Virginia who will receive one of our $1,000 Lynn Davis Scholarship!
This $33,000 investment in the next generation of Blue Ridge leaders adds to the $93,000 we’ve awarded since we launched the scholarship program in 2023. Named in honor of our co-founder Lynn Davis, these scholarships support high-achieving students who plan to pursue a degree in environmental or cultural studies with a goal of enhancing the quality of life in Blue Ridge communities.
“This money will go
toward the hefty tuition
cost. My family and I
have been struggling
financially and this
amount toward college
has taken a bit of the
burden off. I am truly
grateful.”
Some stats about the students we’ve helped to date:
- They come from 41 different high schools from Waynesboro, Va., to Asheville, N.C.
- They’re bound for 42 different colleges from Berklee College of Music and Botetourt Technical Education Center to Harvard University and University of Southern California and all points in between, with 28% attending Virginia Tech, 8% University of Virginia, 6% North Carolina State, 5% University of North Carolina, and 4% William & Mary.
- Average 57 applications per year, though in 2026 we had 64 … so the need is growing!
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Two long-time FRIENDS and board members, Gary and Barbara Duerk, have issued a fundraising challenge to help grow the scholarship program. They will graciously match up to $5,000 in donations received by June 30. 100% of your donation will go toward helping next year’s class or, if you’d prefer, our scholarship investment fund.
Currently, our scholarships are covered by our annual operating budget. Our 5-year goal is for the program to be self-sustaining. In order to achieve that, in March 2025 FRIENDS established a dedicated Scholarship Investment Fund with a goal of $500,000 that will sustain the program, based on annually awarding $30,000 in scholarships. We’ve already reached $110,000, or 22% of our goal!
A more robust Scholarship Investment Fund would allow us to dream even bigger. What if we awarded each recipient a larger scholarship amount? Or more scholarships each year? Or helped those seeking a master’s or Ph.D.? Help us dream bigger!
We can also process stock donations or Qualified Charitable Distributions from an IRA. Help us invest directly in these inspiring youth who want to invest their energy and talent in our beloved Blue Ridge!
Sincerely,
Julie Whalen
Executive Director
