Up To $20k 'Roger Williams' Scholarships Available To RI Students

Current high school seniors can apply for up to $20,000 in annual scholarships, the Rhode Island Foundation announced. The Carter Roger Williams Initiative "honors the principles of the state’s founding father."

The program was created and funded by Letitia and the late John Carter, Rhode Island philanthropists. Since it was founded in 2017, the scholarship initiative has awarded $1.3 million to 24 students.

"Roger Williams was a complicated man, but the pillars he aspired to resonate even in our modern era," Said Neil Steinberg, the Foundation's president. "Thanks to the vision and continued commitment of the Carter family, young people across Rhode Island will continue to discover his values and be able to connect with them."

The program offers student with "an appreciation for values like freedom of conscience and learning from others," Williams' founding principles, can receive up to $80,000 towards their college education over a four-year period, based on financial need and academic standing.

To be eligible, applicants must be residents of Rhode Island and be a senior at a public, private or independent high school in the state. Applications will be open until Feb. 12.

More information about the program and requirements are available on the initiative's website. Candidates will be reviewed based on financial need, academic records, community achievements and their comprehension of and application of Roger Williams' principles.

Kama Gure, a Central High School graduate, was one of last year's recipients. In total, five students were chosen, with the opportunity to receive up to $320,000.

"I was not thinking of going to college at first, but when I found out about the Carter Roger Williams Scholarship, I suddenly had a hope that I might be able to attend college," Gure said.

Gure is in her freshman year at Rhode Island College, studying to become a labor and delivery nurse.

"There are probably some students who know about this scholarship but they don't want to apply because they feel like they might not get it," she continued. "I felt the same way at first; but something in me kept telling me to try so that I wouldn't have to regret it later for not trying ... Don't ever lose hope, believe in yourself and don't think about where you are now, think about the future and where you want to be."