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Dr. James L. Ruffa Scholarship Fund

Purpose

To promote continuing education for any course of study by awarding scholarships for attendance at institutions of higher education to individuals who demonstrate financial need, academic achievement, and desire.

Background

The Dr. James L. Ruffa Scholarship Fund was established in July 2021 to honor the memory of Dr. James L. Ruffa. Dr. Ruffa had a passion for public education and students. He served as Executive Director at Appomattox Regional Governor’s School during the 2009-2010 school year. Dr. Ruffa came to the Governor’s School in 2004 from Virginia State University, where he was an assistant professor in the master’s and doctoral programs of education for three years. Prior to his stint at VSU, he served as superintendent of Colonial Heights Public Schools for eight years, stepping down in 2001. Dr. Ruffa earned a Doctor of Education degree from Virginia Tech, and master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Old Dominion University. His love for Appomattox Regional Governor’s School was unmatched. When asked in 2009, Dr. Ruffa stated that he had “spent the last 40 years in public education but the five years at ARGS have been different because the school is truly like no other.” Ironically, the Governor’s School building is the old Petersburg High School, which is where Dr. Ruffa graduated in 1965.

Policy

The scholarship program is available to seniors graduating from The Appomattox Regional Governor's School for the Arts and Technology. Student interns working for John Randolph Foundation are eligible to apply; however, foundation trustees, other foundation employees and their immediate families (parents, spouses, brothers, sisters, and anyone claimed as a dependent for tax purposes) are not eligible to apply.

Scholarship Applicants Must

  1. Express an interest in attending as a full-time student, a college which offers four year-degrees;
  2. Submit a completed John Randolph Foundation Scholarship Application ONLINE to include the required documents which must be uploaded with the application;
  3. Must have a G.P.A. of 3.0 or better

Criteria Scoring

Procedure

The scholarship amount is $1,000 and will be paid directly to the school for current year tuition, fees, books purchased through the institution attended, and on-campus dormitory and meal plan expenses. The scholarship committee will review and evaluate all applications and announce awards each spring. The committee will also review and revise the scholarship policy and criteria as necessary.

Required Documents

All required documents must be uploaded with the application. Any mailed or hand-delivered documents will not be accepted.

Failure to submit the online application with all documents attached to the application by the deadline will disqualify an applicant from consideration for the Dr. James L. Ruffa Scholarship Fund. The John Randolph Foundation Scholarship Committee reserves the right to interview applicants in the final stages of selection.

The decision of the scholarship committee in all matters regarding scholarships is final. Canvassing a scholarship benefactor, any John Randolph Foundation trustee or employee shall result in immediate disqualification. Scholarship awards are subject to the availability of funds, meeting the criteria as outlined in the guidelines of the individual scholarship program and contingent upon acceptance and enrollment in an approved program.

John Randolph Foundation respects the privacy of scholarship applicants. Any personal or financial information will be used for the purpose of assessing the scholarship application and will be made available solely to the Foundation's staff and scholarship selection committee. We make every effort to maintain your confidentiality.

John Randolph Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Organization

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