Scholarships  - 

Professional Scholarships

Your Foundation membership helps support scholarships for Virginia parks and recreation professionals and students. The members of the Foundation of the Virginia Recreation and Park Society are very proud of the Scholarship Program that has awarded over $200,000 in scholarships and assisted dozens of students and professionals with their education.

The Foundation of the Virginia Recreation and Park Society Scholarship Committee reviews all applications. Applicants are reviewed in light of the quality of the responses provided in the application and the following criteria:

  • Service to VRPS: involvement in service areas, resource groups, committee positions held, and volunteer experiences. Student applicants may describe their involvement with parks and recreation agencies including employment and volunteer experience.

  • Demonstrated financial need.

    Scholarship preference will be given to those individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to the profession through involvement in VRPS and the Foundation of VRPS.

Not a VRPS member? JOIN US!

Applicants Take Notice

  • If submitting a scholarship application for a specific event, applicants should register for the event during the early registration rate period, as scholarship awards are based on early, VRPS-member registration rates.
  • Select "Bill Me" at the payment page - do not make a payment.
  • Applicants will be notified of their award status after the early registration deadline.
  • Scholarship committee decisions are conveyed to the Board of the Foundation of VRPS for ratification.  All decisions are final.

 Jesse A. Reynolds Memorial Scholarship - Apply HERE

Jesse A. Reynolds was a parks and recreation director for the City of Richmond.  He was instrumental in establishing professional parks and recreation "registration", which was the predecessor to Virginia's CPRP program.  Upon his passing, Jesse's family, including son Ron Reynolds, a former director in Campbell County and a former VRPS Foundation Board member, established this scholarship in his name.  Designed to assist professionals currently employed in leisure services (preferably public recreation), this scholarship is awarded to assist in graduate level education, either on a part-time or full-time basis

 James K. Cole Memorial Scholarship

 James K. Cole, a Parks and Recreation professional from the City of Virginia Beach, was dedicated to the profession. This scholarship is designed to assist junior, senior and graduate students majoring in the Leisure Service field, who can demonstrate a need for financial assistance.