Scholarships

Ridley offers scholarships for Black students across the course of their UVA career. While most Ridley Scholarships are for incoming first-year students, there are selected awards reserved for upper-class students who distinguish themselves as exceptional at the University. Selected Ridley Scholars demonstrate excellence in academics, leadership activities and community service. Students who receive these awards are eligible to receive up to eight semesters of support.

Scholar Selection Process

Black students offered Early Decision or Early Action admission to the University of Virginia are eligible to apply.

We review candidates holistically based on the criteria below. Finalists selected from eligible applications will be invited to participate in the Ridley Scholarship Selection Weekend, March 21–23, 2025. The weekend features tours, special programming and in-person interviews with the Ridley Scholarship Committee. Finalists are expected to attend the selection weekend, and recipients are notified following the selection weekend.

Favorable criteria for Ridley Scholarship consideration include:

• Rigorous academic curriculum
• Competitive academic performance record, typically in the top decile of your graduating class
• Highly engaged in extracurriculars with consistent leadership, citizenship, and community service
• Demonstrated passion for learning and desire to enrich the UVA community outside of the classroom
• Notable essays reflecting a high quality of thought and expression

UVA Office of Undergraduate Admissions

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Awards for First Year Students

• Walter N. Ridley Fund
  The Ridley Flagship Scholarship is the original scholarship endowed by black alumni of UVA. In the past 30 years, it has grown from a small book scholarship to a full tuition-and-fees award for incoming first-year students. It is reserved for exceptional Black students residing in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
• Buford Scott Scholarship
  The Buford Scott Scholarship is named in honor of business and philanthropic leader S. Buford Scott and Scott & Stringfellow. It is for an incoming student who resides in Virginia and has the same selection criteria as the Walter N. Ridley scholarship.
• Savage Fields Scholarship
  Professor Barbara D. Savage (Col ’74) established the Savage Fields Scholarship to honor her parents Mildred Savage Fields and Walter M. Fields, Jr. for sacrifices made to enable her and her brother Glenn Fields and sister Alice Fields to attend college. The Savage Fields scholarship is for an incoming student. It uses the same selection criteria as the Walter N. Ridley Scholarship. Preference will be given to scholars that demonstrate need. This scholarship may be renewed for up to 3 years.
• Meikel Andrade Memorial Fund
  The Meikel Andrade Memorial Fund Scholarship was established in 1998 to honor the late Meikel Andrade who died in an accident two months before her enrollment at the University of Virginia. For more than a decade, this fund provided a $1500/year scholarship to incoming female students. In 2011, Meikel’s parents, Walt and Donna Pearson, decided to turn the scholarship into a quadrennial award for an outstanding incoming female student.
• The Gregory Raven Batipps Memorial Fund
  For nearly twenty years, Ridley annually awarded a one-time, $5000 award to a second or third year student in honor of Gregory Raven Batipps, a UVA student who died tragically during his second year. In 2012, the Batipps family agreed to transition the memorial scholarship into a four year scholarship for an incoming student from Washington, DC, or Virginia.
• Bryce Fund
  Former Ridley Board Chairwoman Teresa Bryce Bazemore has established a scholarship in honor of her mother, a former high school science teacher. This award is made to an incoming student who intends to major in the natural, physical or environmental sciences or mathematics.
• Holland Blackburn Fund
  The Jerome Holland Scholarship was endowed by Anthony Pilaro (Law ’60) in 1987. It was named to honor the late Jerome Holland, a former president of Hampton University and Ambassador to Sweden. It has a 30-year track record of recruiting some of the best Black students in the nation to UVA. In 2009, the scholarship was renamed to also honor Jack Blackburn, the former UVA Dean of Admissions who played a significant role in establishing the scholarship’s presence on Grounds. In 2011, the Holland Blackburn fund merged with Ridley. We are pleased to use this award to recruit talented out-of-state students to UVA.
• Ridley Reid Endowed Fund
  Dr. Kenneth Reid (UVA Parent) endowed the Ridley Reid Scholarship in 2006. It uses the same selection criteria as the Walter N. Ridley Scholarship. It is a full tuition and fees scholarship awarded every four years to an exceptional Black student from Virginia.
• Richmond Ridley Clarence Cain Endowed Fund
  The Ridley Club of Richmond, Virginia sponsors a full tuition-and-fees award for an exceptional Black student from the Richmond, Virginia area. This scholarship has been the result of the collective efforts of Richmond area alumni and businesses, and will provide four years of financial support for one of the Richmond area’s best scholars. Richmond area alumni continue to raise funds toward this geographic scholarship – the first of its kind for the Ridley Fund – and encourage others to support this effort.
• Michael Russell Engineering Scholarship
  In 2007, School of Engineering and Applied Science alum Michael Russell of Atlanta, GA established a scholarship fund for Black students pursuing a degree in the School of Engineering and Applied Science at UVA. They are expected to possess the leadership and scholarship qualities that typify all Ridley Scholars.
• Glynn D. Key Memorial Scholarship Fund
  The Glynn D. Key Memorial Scholarship Fund provides out-of-state students with opportunities to fulfill their dreams of attending the University of Virginia. The Fund is named in honor of Glynn D. Key (Col ’86, Law ’89), a leader on and beyond Grounds and a staunch supporter of the University of Virginia. Her vision and work led to the creation of the Ridley Scholarship Program in 1987. Learn more about the Glynn D. Key Memorial Scholarship Fund.

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Awards for Upper-Class Students

• The Gregory Ledford Endowed Fund
  In 2007, McIntire School of Commerce graduate Gregory Ledford established the Gregory Ledford Endowed Scholarship to benefit a rising third year Black Commerce School student. This scholarship provides full tuition-and-fees for two years for a Black student who has been admitted to the School of Commerce. Preference is given for students concentrating in Finance. The chosen scholar must have a high grade point average and must demonstrate involvement in University, community or other individual extracurricular pursuits.
• The Sylvia V. Terry Scholarship
  Named for legendary OAAA Dean Sylvia Terry, the Terry Scholarship recognizes the scholastic and community achievements of Black students at UVA. The scholarship provides two years of full tuition-and-fees support for the recipient. Ideal applicants are rising Third Year students with strong grades, leadership activities, and community service. Because of Dean Terry’s pivotal role in creating the Peer Advisor Program, preference is given to academically-strong candidates with significant experience as mentors. Click here to read more about Sylvia Terry and the Peer Advisor Program.
• The Dr. Derek E. Brown Award
  The Dr. Derek E. Brown Award was created by Dr. Brown’s family to remember his dream of helping qualified Black male students defray the high cost of applying to medical or dental school.  Learn more about or apply for the Derek E. Brown Award.
• The Paige Pre-Medical Fund
  Former Ridley Board member Sophia Paige established this scholarship, which started issuing grants in 2009. This scholarship is designed to help pre-med students defray the high cost of applying to medical school. The applicant must be a fourth-year Black student at the University of Virginia who has taken all pre-medical requirements and the MCAT. He or she must be planning to enter medical school immediately after graduating. One winner will receive a $1,500 scholarship (non-renewable), which he or she may use to pay for medical school application fees and interview expenses.

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Recognition and Support for Current Students

Ridley offers more than just scholarship money to its students. Students meet with board members regularly, and receive academic and internship support. Ridley Scholars are also eligible to apply for additional money to enhance their academic experience.

• Annetta Thompson Fund
  Family and friends honored the life of the first full-time administrator for the Walter N. Ridley Scholarship Fund by establishing this fund in 1999. The Annetta Thompson Scholarship is awarded to a deserving 4th-year Ridley scholar who exemplifies Annetta Thompson’s commitment to education. Annetta Thompson received her bachelor’s degree in education from UVA in 1973. She valued the role of education and the importance of creating opportunities for young people pursuing an education. Annetta’s hard work and diligence during her tenure as the fund administrator contributed to the tremendous growth and success of the Ridley Fund.
• Ravenell “Ricky” Keller III Study Abroad Scholarship
  The Keller Study Abroad Scholarship supports the global learning and exchange of ideas that lead to a more engaging and meaningful education for Black students at UVA. Named after Ravenell “Ricky” Keller III (Col ’85), the scholarship provides talented Black students up to $5,000 in financial support for study aboard experiences, and is open to all Black UVA students who qualify. This scholarship is now administered by the Alumni Association’s Scholarship Program. Learn more about the Keller Study Abroad Scholarship.