WILLIAMSBURG — Williamsburg Community Foundation awarded 105 scholarships totaling $200,955 to graduating students from Jamestown, Lafayette and Warhill High Schools through the Williamsburg-James City County Scholarship Fund at its annual awards ceremony on June 1.
Tracing its roots to the Lafayette Education Fund established in 1974 with just seven scholarships totaling $1,500, WCF notes the fund has grown into an important source of support for local students pursuing post-high school education, adding the foundation now oversees a mix of annual and endowed scholarship funds, allowing donors to make both immediate and lasting impact.
The scholarships, ranging from $1,500 to $5,000, are made possible by support from local individuals, families, civic groups and businesses. Sixty-two named scholarships, many offered in honor or memory of loved ones, help create a legacy of opportunities for local students, according to WCF.
WCF said the fund set another record in 2025 with a total of $200,955 in scholarships, adding many donors are choosing to keep eligibility criteria broad, ensuring that students with significant financial need — including many who are the first in their family to attend college — can access these scholarships. This year, it said 20 first-generation college students were awarded scholarships.
“Each of these scholarships tells a story,” said Nancy Coté Sullivan, President & CEO of WCF. “In one recent conversation, a donor shared with me that she herself struggled financially as a young person and subsequently postponed her college career. She wants to give back and support students who find themselves facing a similar reality.”
The recipients were honored at a special awards ceremony sponsored by 1st Advantage Credit Union.
A full list of this year’s scholarship recipients is available on the foundation’s website.
The Williamsburg Community Foundation is a public charity founded in 1999 as the Greater For more information, visit williamsburgcommunityfoundation.org or call 757-259-1660.
