Many donors have chosen to honor a loved one, alma mater, community or profession by establishing scholarship endowments.
CFWNC currently manages 50 scholarship funds. The 2025 scholarship cycle awarded $586,500 to 94 students.
Each scholarship program has specific eligibility requirements. To learn more and apply, please visit the Scholarship Directory.
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.
Ava Holtsclaw is pursuing a degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Appalachian State University. She enjoys the learning environment and finds her professors lively and interactive. She has taken an interest in learning sign language. Photo courtesy of Ava Holtsclaw.
"The Martha Guy Educational Fund Scholarship has been deeply significant for my journey toward a graduate degree. I was a teaching artist for teens at the Crossnore Home for Children during my undergraduate studies. Post-graduation, I was hired as Avery High School's art teacher, and I also taught ceramics as a contracted instructor for the NC Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Due to budget cuts in 2024, I was moved to an elementary school position that required a transition from teaching students who could drive and vote to one heavily focused on improving fine motor skills.
Art is vital in preparing children for successful lives. "Studio Habits of Mind," a Harvard studied practice, outlines the transferrable habitsgained -- including growing skills in persistence, communication, and responsibility. I've seen first hand how impactful art can be, especially for those considered "at-risk" or who have faced trauma.
A month in Hurricane Helene arrived and devastated my students and community. I knew these children, some now homeless, scared, or struggling mentally, deserved a teacher who was well-equipped to give them what they needed. I decided to go back to school, though I was aware that I wouldn't receive any pay increase for an advanced degree in NC. This scholarship helped me to focus on learning instead of trying to find another side job.
My parents were the first in their families to graduate from high school. With their support and support from others, including CFWNC, I will be the first to graduate with a masters degree. I grew up in Avery County, and I'm passionate about supporting our children in hopes of strengthening the community, and this scholarship helped to make that happen."
Photo courtesy of Emily Singleton
Review the list of available scholarships and eligibility requirements to be sure you qualify. In addition, applicants must demonstrate:
You must meet the above criteria in addition to any further eligibility requirements stated for specific programs.
Contact Amber Harrelson-Williams
Scholarship Officer
828-367-9916
