The Pamplin Scholars Program at Virginia Tech consists of two scholarships: the Pamplin Leadership Award and the Pamplin Scholar Award, both providing scholarship opportunities for outstanding students throughout the Commonwealth.

Original News Article

(Note: Some of the details highlighted in the above article are no longer accurate. Please refer to this webpage and the Pamplin Leadership Award application for up-to-date information.)

Pamplin Leadership Award

The Pamplin Leadership Award is a one-year merit-based $1,000 tuition scholarship. The scholarship will be presented annually to one student from each public high school in Virginia who has applied to Virginia Tech, is admitted and accepts the offer of admission. The scholarship is open to students applying to all majors. In Pamplin Leaders, we seek students with a record of outstanding academic achievement that is balanced with a commitment to community service and leadership experience.
Scholarship Guidelines

• Must be a senior enrolled at a Virginia public high school who is planning to attend Virginia Tech.
• Must have a 3.80 overall GPA and be ranked in the top ten percent of his/her class.
• The Pamplin Leadership Award is open to students in all majors.
• Students enrolled in a partial-day Governors or magnet school should apply through the guidance office of their home-base high school. Students enrolled in all-day Governors or magnet schools should apply through the guidance office of that school.
• To be considered, high school counselors must postmark applications by February 8, 2013.
• Announcement of winners for this scholarship will be made no earlier than April 1, 2013.

Pamplin Leadership Application Process
Students discover the Pamplin Leadership scholarship opportunity through a number of avenues- often receiving information from their high school counselors, the Virginia Tech University Honors website, or friends and family. Students can complete an application individually, but all applications must be collected, signed and certified by the guidance counselor of each high school. Each school should collect all the applications, consider them and then forward their top three choices to us.

Pamplin Scholar Award

Pamplin Scholars are chosen from the pool of Pamplin Leadership Award recipients. Early in the spring semester of their first year at Virginia Tech, Pamplin Leaders are invited to submit applications to become Pamplin Scholars. The Pamplin Scholar Award is a merit-based scholarship equal to tuition and fees for four years at Virginia Tech.

Scholarship Guidelines

• Must be a first year student enrolled at Virginia Tech
• Must have a 3.6 overall GPA after fall semester grades and be willing to join University Honors.
• The Pamplin Scholar Award is open to students in all majors.
• Students are selected on the basis of academic excellence, community engagement, and leadership.

The Pamplin Scholar Award Application Process
The rigor of the endeavor to be a Pamplin Scholar begins with a challenging application process.

Written Pre-Application
Five hard copies should be returned by 5 pm, January 14th, to the University Honors office (137 Hillcrest Hall). From the pool of qualifying pre-applicants we will choose the finalists who will compete for 3 Pamplin Awards.

Final Application
Applicants in the final round will receive guidance from the Scholarship Coordinator with the preparation of the final application. Upon notification of entrance into the final round, applicants will be expected to investigate project possibilities and opportunities on campus and in the greater region. The final application will consists of three main elements:

• a personal statement
• a portfolio that attests both to personal qualifications and a vision for the project. The proposals should be well-thought out strategic plans for design,creation, implementation, and evaluation of their projects.
• recruitment of a faculty mentor

The final application is created over the course of six weeks. It will take a few hours a week for the duration of that time period. It cannot be done successfully overnight!

Interviews
Qualifying final applicants will be invited for interviews. The Pamplin Scholar Award winners will be selected from among the qualifying final applicants.

Timeline

• Pre-Applications due by 5 pm, January 14th
• Qualifying pre-applicants notified in the second week of February
• Information meetings to final applicants third week of Feb.
• Final Application Portfolios due the last business day in March
• Interviews – mid April

For more information contact University Honors.