From staff reports
The South Carolina State Fair, a self-supporting 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, has opened applications for its 27th annual Ride of Your Life Scholarship program. Each year, this initiative allocates more than $500,000 in college scholarships to high school seniors across South Carolina.
Applications are open until March 15, 2024, and can be submitted online at scstatefair.org/scholarships.
“At the South Carolina State Fair, we are dedicated to championing excellence within our state, beginning with the education of our young adults,” South Carolina State Fair General Manager Nancy Smith said in a news release about the organization’s unwavering commitment to education. “Our mission is to play an active role in shaping the future of South Carolina through the invaluable gift of education.”
Since 1997, the S.C. State Fair has awarded more than $5 million to South Carolina students through the Ride of Your Life Scholarship program, reflecting the fair’s commitment to community-focused initiatives.
The S.C. State Fair scholarship program has expanded because of a generous collaboration with Circle K stores and EMC Tickets. Circle K presented a $34,000 donation to the South Carolina State Fair on January 22. This donation allows the S.C. State Fair to award an additional three scholarships — increasing the total to 53 total scholarships this year.
This year, $10,000 scholarships will be awarded to 53 high school seniors across South Carolina and will be paid out at $2,500 per year over four years. Students pursuing two-year degrees will receive $2,500 per year over two years. One of the 53 scholarships is exclusively designated for a Circle K employee or dependent.
The scholarship funds must be used at a South Carolina university, college, or institution and may cover tuition or other educational expenses such as on-campus housing, a computer, or textbooks. Scholarships are awarded based on academic and extracurricular achievement, communication skills, need and completeness of the application. Recipients must retain a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale and enroll in no less than 30 credit hours each academic year to receive funding for that year.
Prospective scholars and/or parents can learn more at scstatefair.org/scholarships or by contacting Betsy Cooper at betsyc@scstatefair.org or 803-799-3387, ext. 110. Scholarship applications must be completed online at https://www.scstatefair.org/scholarships by March 15, 2024. Scholarship award recipients will be notified in mid-May of their award status.
This year’s S.C. State Fair will take place October 9-20, 2024.
