Silver Maple Fund Legacy Scholarship
Red hair, though rare and often admired, has also been a source of misunderstanding and discrimination.
Many students, whether due to appearance or otherwise, have faced challenges and judgment. These students should be encouraged to be resilient, using their experiences to excel in fields that help tell untold stories, such as anthropology, museum studies, art history, or related disciplines.
This scholarship seeks to uplift students who embody strength, creativity, and resilience — especially those whose personal identity or educational path has set them apart.
Any redheaded high school senior or undergraduate student who is a resident of a Midwest state (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin) may apply for this scholarship opportunity if they are pursuing a degree in the humanities. However, applicants with a homeschool background and those pursuing museum studies, anthropology, or art history are strongly preferred. This is a merit-based scholarship with a strong emphasis on identity, legacy, and storytelling. This scholarship will be awarded on November 5 - National Love Your Red Hair Day!
To apply, tell us about a time when you were resilient, how your experiences being judged have impacted your goals, and why you’re pursuing the humanities. Additionally, upload an image of you doing something creative.
You’ve likely been misunderstood, underestimated, or judged unfairly at some point in your life — possibly because of how you look, how you were educated, or what you believe in. Tell us a story that reflects your personal resilience, identity, or creative journey. How has this shaped your academic goals, and why have you chosen to study the humanities?
You may include stories related to your red hair, your homeschool background (if applicable), your connection to the Midwest, or your career aspirations in the humanities.
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FAQ
The application deadline is Oct 5, 2025. Winners will be announced on Nov 5, 2025.
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Award amounts per winner are designated by the donor. Check the award amount for a detailed breakdown.
The winner will be publicly announced on Nov 5, 2025. Prior to the announcement date, we may contact finalists with additional questions about their application. We will work with donors to review all applications according to the scholarship criteria. Winners will be chosen based on the merit of their application.
Award checks will be sent to the financial aid office of the winner's academic institution or future academic institution in their name to be applied to their tuition, and in the name of their institution (depending on the school's requirements). If the award is for a qualified educational non-tuition expense, we will work with the winner directly to distribute the award and make sure it goes towards qualified expenses.
Before we award the scholarship, the winner will be required to confirm their academic enrollment status. Depending on the circumstances, verification of Student ID and/or their most recent transcript will be required.
If you have any questions about this scholarship or the Bold.org platform, just email contact@bold.org and we’ll get back to you as quickly as we can.
Yes. The terms and conditions for this scholarship can be found here.