Nine students receive scholarships funded by employee gifts

The 2023 Employees’ Spouse and Dependent Scholarship awarded scholarships to nine students for the 2023-24 academic year. Thanks to the generosity of Virginia Tech employees and donors, each student received $1,500, helping make their Virginia Tech education a little more affordable.

An annual scholarship reception is held each fall semester to recognize the awarded students, their families, and the donors. This year’s reception was held in August to provide an opportunity for the students and their families to meet each other and the scholarship committee and express their gratitude for the scholarship and donors.

Scholarship recipient Landon Shepherd, majoring in general engineering, said he has two siblings entering college next fall and this scholarship helped his family.

“This scholarship aided the financial burden of college, especially with my siblings going next year,” he said. “Thank you!”

Since 2000, when the scholarship was established, more than 250 incoming students have received assistance. Each year the amount and number of recipients differ, based on the available funds.

This year, 21 students submitted applications for the scholarship.

Thanks to the gifts, the committee was able to increase the scholarship amount and recipients this year, said Pascha Gerni, managing director, business and administration for the Office of the President and chair of the employees’ spouse and dependent scholarship committee. “The scholarship program will celebrate its 25th year next year, and our goal is to raise more funding to increase both the award value and impact as well as expand the number of awards,” she said.

Scholarship gifts are funded mainly from Virginia Tech employees, but anyone is welcome to give.

Visit the Employees’ Spouse and Dependent Scholarship webpage to learn more about the program, including how to apply for assistance or to give to the fund through payroll deduction.

The Employees' Spouse and Dependent Scholarship is just one way that the university supports its employees and their families. Virginia Tech Advantage, meanwhile, is a universitywide commitment to remove barriers and offer additional support, including scholarships, to in-state students who have financial need.