Scholarship Program

The St. Simons Island Rotary Club, through its Scholarship Fund, is pleased to make Educational Scholarships available to graduating seniors from accredited Glynn County Public High Schools and private high schools in Glynn County.

  The scholarship awards vary in number and size each year.  The club typically awards scholarships of $2000 per year for 4 years of undergraduate study ($1000 for each of the fall and spring semesters) for students attending colleges outside Glynn  County.  Scholarships to the College of Coastal Georgia are typically $1000 for each year.

  The College or University may be located in or outside the state of Georgia, and must be fully accredited.  Recipients are selected on the basis of scholarship, leadership, community service and other demonstration of personal character, as well as financial need.

  To be eligible, the applicant must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4-point scale and must maintain a 2.5 GPA (or equivalent) as a full time student while receiving scholarship funds.  Students shall report their grades each semester or term to the St. Simons Island Rotary Club Scholarship Trustees and must agree to attend one Rotary Club meeting per year if requested.

  In 1961 the Rotary Club of St. Simons Island formed the Scholarship Fund for the purpose of making loans to deserving students to further their education at institutions of higher learning, and to benefit activities of local youth.  Many loans were given to deserving students in the years that followed.

  In 1975 St. Simons Rotary Scholarship Fund also built a Scout hut on the McKinnon Airport property on Demere Road for the use of all island Boy Scouts.  In the late 1980’s, the FUND gave this building to Glynn County for multi-purpose uses in addition to scouting.  The building is still known as “The Rotary Scout Hut.”

  In 1991 the by-laws were changed from a loan fund to a scholarship fund.  Since that time scholarships have been given each year to students at the College of Coastal Georgia as well as to students who attend other institutions around the country.  From the beginning, over $750,000 has been distributed.

  From the inception of the FUND to the mid 1980’s, Ed Bruce was Secretary-Treasurer, giving many hours to this cause.  In 1993 the “Ed Bruce Fellow” was established.  You may become a Fellow with a gift of $1000.00 or a Sustaining Member by contributing $100.00 a year.

  In 1996, Gil Tharp, a Rotarian for many years, made a sizeable contribution in his will to the FUND.  Many more scholarships were made possible by this donation.   In 2009, the Fellow designation was changed to “Bruce-Tharp Fellow”.

  The FUND is a 501©3 corporation.  As such individual contributions are required by the IRS to maintain its tax exempt status.  Your gifts keep the program serving the youth of our community. 

  Give the Gift that keeps on giving so that deserving students from our community can pursue a college education.  Income from the the St. Simons Rotary Scholarship Fund provides for one of our clubs most valuable Services Above Self!