VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AND STATE UNIVERSITY
PAMPLIN SCHOLARS PROGRAM FOR VIRGINIANS
Virginia Tech scholarship opportunities for outstanding students throughout the Commonwealth
The Pamplin Scholars Program consists of two scholarships: the Pamplin Leadership Award and the Pamplin Scholar Award.
The Pamplin Leadership Award is open to any senior from among Virginia’s public high schools. No more than 40 qualified students
will be awarded each year. The Pamplin Leadership Award is a $5,000 one-year academic, merit-based scholarship. A student
awarded the Pamplin Leadership Award is automatically eligible to apply for the Pamplin Scholar Award during her/his first year at
Virginia Tech. Only winners of the Pamplin Leadership Award may apply for the Pamplin Scholar Award, which provides full
Virginia Tech tuition and fees until graduation provided winners maintain good academic standing in University Honors.
Pamplin Scholar Award Guidelines
Introduction
Pamplin Scholar Award winners (Pamplin Scholars) are recipients of one of the most elite scholarships at Virginia Tech.
The Pamplin Scholar Award is available annually to outstanding Pamplin Leadership Award recipients and is a meritbased, full tuition and fees scholarship from a winner’s second year as a Virginia Tech undergraduate until graduation.
Robert B. Pamplin, Sr. and Robert B. Pamplin, Jr., the father and son who endowed this scholarship, believe in the
necessity of giving back to communities to provide support and encouragement for the kinds of extraordinary young
people who become Pamplin Scholars. In this spirit, a Pamplin Scholar will be required to reflect seriously upon what
gifts he or she can return to the University and/or wider communities.
Program Description
To meet minimum qualifications, the applicant must:
1) be a recipient of the Pamplin Leadership Award
2) be a second-semester freshman at Virginia Tech (determined by year, not credit hours)
3) have a minimum 3.6 cumulative GPA
Students chosen as Pamplin Scholars are required to think about and create an enhanced University Honors education for
the remainder of their undergraduate career. This involves participating in most of the eleven ways to earn Honors credit,
applying to one of the University Honors Odyssey Fellowships, researching and thinking seriously about applying for an
appropriate major national scholarship, and contributing to other Honors students by, for example, becoming an Honors
Student Teaching Assistant (STA) or participating in other meaningful endeavors meant to support student life in Honors.
The Pamplin Scholar Award is a significant scholarship meant to require significant time and effort towards the
completion of these requirements.
Scholar Responsibilities
Being a Pamplin Scholar is a serious commitment and should be treated as such. All Scholars are responsible for regular
meetings with the scholarship coordinator. New winners will form the screening committee the following year for the next
class of Pamplin Leaders. Juniors and Seniors will assist the coordinator with the Pamplin Scholar Award interview
process.
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The Application Process
Please do not include the first two pages of this document with your submitted application. The application
should be completed carefully and accurately. One typed, unstapled copy should be returned by 5:00 p.m. on
the first day of the spring semester to:
Sara Vandyke
University Honors MC 0427
Hillcrest Hall, Room 135C, Virginia Tech
385 West Campus Dr
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Phone: 540-231-3938
sarajane@vt.edu
Interview
From the pool of qualifying applicants we will choose finalists for interviews. No more than three Pamplin
Scholar Awards will be given each year.
Timeline
January
Applications due by 5:00 pm on the first day of the spring semester
February
Applicants notified of their application status by the end of February
March
Interviews at the end of March – winners notified
April
Award Acceptance Form due by mid-April
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VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AND STATE UNIVERSITY
Pamplin Scholar Award Application
Each qualified applicant should complete the entire application. Please type or print legibly in blue or black
ink. Incomplete or illegible applications may jeopardize your chance of winning the Pamplin Scholar Award.
Name
Email
Local Address
Student ID#
Phone #
Major(s)
Minor(s)
Questions
There is no set limit to your answers. Use as much or as little space as necessary to answer the questions well.
You may type on this document or a separate document, but these answers must be typed.
1. Notable fall semester accomplishments:
2. Interesting things you did on your own in the fall (i.e., not required):
3. Favorite or most influential class and/or professor this fall, and why?
4. Most influential quotation or book for you, and why?
5. Did you establish any connections with faculty, staff, or peer leaders on campus or in the community at
large? Please describe:
6. Future life, vocational, career, plans:
Required Essay
What is the most significant problem facing the world today? Why has it not been solved? That is, what are the
significant issues and complications in the topic? Notice that we are NOT asking you how you would solve it.
We want you to show that you understand the complexities of the problem. (500 words, double spaced)
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Additional Essays
Address two of the following prompts with interest, sincerity and creativity. Provide a separate page for each
response and identify which questions you are answering. (250-300 words each, double spaced)
a) Discuss an effective leader who you have known personally. What evidence do you have that tells you
that this leader is effective? Describe what kinds of things that person is able to do, what skills,
knowledge, and/or values they have that make them effective.
b) What did you learn in your first semester of college? How did you learn it?
c) If you could have a meal with any person, who would it be and what would you talk about?
d) Write on a topic of significance to you.
Letter of Recommendation
Please include a letter of recommendation from someone who knows you well (not a relative or friend) and can
address your experience, qualities of leadership, and/or academic promise. The letter must be sealed and
submitted in person or mailed to the Pamplin Scholars Program Coordinator.
Supplementary Materials
Please attach the following items:
a) Current Curriculum Vitae – please limit to no more than two pages. Be sure to take advantage of
Career Services’ walk-in advising hours and have an advisor review the quality, completeness, and
organization of this document. No matter what opportunities you encounter, it is good practice to have a
well-organized and current CV.
b) Unofficial Transcript
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