The John Francis Amherst Cecil Scholarship was established in honor of William A. V. Cecil's father, who spent many years looking after the interests of Biltmore Estate from the early 1930s through the mid-1950s. The Honorable Mr. Cecil was a descendant of Lord Burghley, Chief High Treasurer under Queen Elizabeth I. He served in the British Diplomatic Service and later, during World War II, as Minister of Information. His great contributions to the Estate as its administrator after the war enabled the property to remain private and intact. This scholarship is a tribute to his devotion to the preservation and well-being of Biltmore Estate and its employees.
The purpose of the John Francis Amherst Cecil Scholarship is to assist the dependents of Biltmore employees with the rising costs of higher education.
While this scholarship is not renewable, recipients are eligible to re-apply up to three times while working toward an undergraduate degree, as long as they continue to meet the scholarship criteria. Scholarship recipients may apply the funds to any U.S. accredited post-high school educational program to include vocational or technical schools as well as two- and four- year colleges or universities, either public or private.
Amount
One-time $2,000
Number Of Awards
Eight Awards
Deadline
Mar. 5, 2025
Eligibility
Legal dependents of full-time and flex employees of The Biltmore Company, with one year of completed service at the time of application, are eligible to compete for the John Francis Amherst Cecil Scholarship. At the time of application, the applicant must be a senior in a secondary school or doing equivalent work, or a secondary school graduate. All members of the family of John Francis Amherst Cecil and all children of the officers of The Biltmore Company are ineligible.
CFWNC ensures that all scholarship recipients are selected on an objective and nondiscriminatory basis and that selections are based on specific guidelines and criteria for each fund.
To Apply
To apply, students must complete an application online. The application, with required attachments, must be submitted online on or before the deadline. Click here to apply.
Application Procedure
The scholarship program is administered by The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina. Please direct any questions about this scholarship to the foundation, at scholarships@cfwnc.org.