Board of Visitors Scholarship
The Virginia Commonwealth University Board of Visitors has established the Board of Visitors Scholarship to recognize the achievements of an outstanding undergraduate student who represents the distinctive attributes of a VCU student: Outstanding academic achievement, leadership and service to the university and the community at large. The recipient of the award will receive a one-year scholarship in an amount equal to undergraduate in-state tuition and fees. At the discretion of the board, two additional nominal scholarships may also be awarded to two finalists (at this time each runner-up receives a $5,000 scholarship).
The board intends that this scholarship be a fully endowed scholarship and expects full board participation via donations each year earmarked for the Board of Visitors Scholarship.
About the Scholarship Process
To receive this award, a student must:
- Be currently enrolled as a full-time rising sophomore, junior or senior
- Have achieved at least a 3.5 cumulative grade point average
- Plan to be enrolled continuously as a full-time undergraduate student the 2026-2027 academic year.
- Have demonstrated service to the university and/or the community
- Have a demonstrated financial need for the scholarship
Students who meet the minimum requirements for the award will be contacted via email and invited to apply for the award using the RAMS Scholarship Hub. Each application will include:
- One letter of recommendation from a VCU faculty or staff member (to be submitted electronically by the faculty or staff member);
- A typed resume, no more than two pages long;
- Candidates are encouraged to document their contribution to the VCU and Richmond communities by including, if applicable, any academic awards/honors, non-academic awards, VCU involvement, community service, and employment
- A 500-word essay explaining how the applicant’s service to the university or the community illustrates VCU’s “UnCommon” brand.
Applications for the 2026-27 Board of Visitors Scholarship are managed through the RAMS Scholarship Hub.
- Go to https://vcu.academicworks.com/
- Sign in using your VCU eID and password
- Complete the General Application
- In the Opportunities tab, search "Board of Visitors Scholarship"
- Select Board of Visitors Scholarship and follow the instructions.
Questions regarding the application can be sent to scholarships@vcu.edu.
Thursday, December 4, 2025 from 10-11 AM
How to join: Sign up via zoom
Tuesday, December 9, 2025 from 12-1 PM
How to join: Sign up via zoom
Wednesday, December 17, 2025 from 4-5pm
How to join: Sign up via zoom
In these virtual workshops, we will help you build confidence in your writing by breaking down the process of writing your UnCommon Essay for the Board of Visitors Application into manageable chunks. We will discuss the importance of thoroughly exploring the prompt,
planning for in-depth revision, and allowing time for drafting and peer feedback so that you can write the most confident and impactful essay possible!
“Board of Visitors Scholarship interview/resume tips for success”
Hi there,
You are invited to a Zoom meeting.
When: Dec 5, 2025 11:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting: https://vcu.zoom.us/meeting/register/qCpSoox1RHy1qBgMP241yg
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
We would like to extend an invitation for you to attend an hour-long virtual "Lunch and Learn" session on Friday, December 5th, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. During this session, we will cover valuable interview and resume tips to help set you up for
success.
We also encourage you to take full advantage of the resources available at VCU, including the Career and Writing Center, which can provide additional support. Based on prior feedback, we recommend that you approach these opportunities with serious
consideration.
The session will address the following key points:
- How should I approach writing my resume?
- How can I prepare for my interview?
- How can you tell your story effectively and stand out from other candidates?
- Best practices for presenting yourself confidently.
Please note that this will be a group virtual session, allowing you the opportunity to connect with your peers who are also at this stage in the process. We highly encourage you to support one another, as you are each other's greatest allies. Additionally, the
facilitator guiding this overview will not be available for 1:1 feedback prior to the submission of your application, as that would be outside the scope of expectations for this process.
All applications are reviewed by a screening committee, comprised of individuals from the following VCU areas:
- Division of Student Affairs
- Division of Strategic Enrollment Management and Student Success
- National Scholarship Office
- At least one faculty member
The screening committee reviews the applications that are received each year and narrows the pool to three finalists. The three finalists are invited to meet with the Board of Visitors selection committee.
Selection of the recipient of the Board of Visitors Scholarship is made by the Board of Visitors at the March meeting of the board. The selection committee for the board is comprised of:
- The Rector
- The Vice Rector
- The Secretary
- The Chair of the Academic and Health Affairs Committee of the board
- The Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
The selection committee interviews each of the three finalists. The selection committee will recommend the winner and the two runner ups to the Academic and Health Affairs Committee of the board.
The winner of the scholarship is invited to the May Board of Visitors meeting as well as the May commencement dinner and commencement ceremony, where the winner will be presented with the award by the rector, or a designee.