From staff reports
Following its namesake’s legacy of teaching and supporting educators, the Pat Conroy Literary Center has established The Pat Conroy Literary Center Future Educator Scholarship.
Established to encourage and support high school seniors with a declared intent to pursue a career in education, the Pat Conroy Literary Center Future Educator Scholarship honors the teaching legacy of the late Pat Conroy (1945 – 2016), acclaimed bestselling author of The Water Is Wide, The Great Santini, The Lords of Discipline, The Prince of Tides, and more. The inaugural scholarship is funded through the generosity of former educators and will be presented in spring 2023.
The $5,000 scholarship will be awarded in two parts: (1) $2,500 on high school graduation and college acceptance, and (2) $2,500 in the awardee’s junior year of college as a future candidate for teaching. In addition to receiving the cash award, the scholarship recipient will also be paired with a teaching mentor who will serve as an additional supportive resource throughout the student’s degree program.
Who should apply
The Conroy Center’s Future Educator Scholarship is open to all Beaufort County graduating high school seniors with an interest in pursuing a career in education and meeting the following criteria. Priority will be given to need-based applicants.
The ideal candidate will: (1) have earned a GPA of 3.0 or greater on the S.C. Uniform Grading Scale, (2) have earned a 21 or greater on the ACT and/or a 1080 or greater on the SAT, (3) be a legal U.S. citizen and a legal resident of Beaufort County, (4) submit two letters of recommendation from teachers or mentors not related to the applicant, and (5) complete the required application form and two essays.
When to apply
The 2023 scholarship application period is now open and will conclude on March 20. Eligible applications will be reviewed by a selection committee, and finalists will be contacted for brief interviews. The scholarship recipient and all other applicants will be notified of their status by April 10.
How to apply
Apply online using the application form at https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/about/future-educator-scholarship.
Please contact the Conroy Center with any questions at patconroyliterarycenter@gmail.com.
