Post 180 Scholarship Chair - Guillermo Guillén (guillermo.guillen.03@gmail.com)
Scholarships
Overview: This page contains information on 9 American Legion related scholarships.
1) ***UPDATED as of 01 JAN 2025***The Dyer-Gunnell American Legion Post 180 Scholarship
Eligibility: High school boys and girls who are sons, daughters, grandsons, granddaughters of members of the Post 180 American Legion family who exemplify the spirit and true American values and have been admitted and attending an accredited four-year college or university.
Deadline: Applications and cover letters can be scanned and emailed to the Scholarship Committee Chair, Guillermo Guillén, at guillermo.guillen.03@gmail.com (Subject Line: SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION), mailed to the post at 330 Center Street North, Vienna, VA 22180 or by dropping it off at Club 180 in a sealed envelope addressed, “ATTN: SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE CHAIR”. Applications must be postmarked or received by Wednesday, March 14, 2025. Any applications not postmarked by, received in the social quarters by close of business, or received in email by Friday; March 14, 2025 will not be considered. All applications will be reviewed, ranked, selected and awardees notified by Sunday, March 23, 2025. Three scholarships (one each $500, $300 and $250) will be awarded/announced at the General Member Meeting on Wednesday, April 2, 2025.
Application: We are unable to post a file or hyperlink at this time. You may obtain a scholarship application by emailing guillermo.guillen.03@gmail.com or picking one up at Club 180 from a bartender.
2) Lucian Butler American Legion Scholarship Fund
Eligibility: High school boys and girls who are sons, daughters, grandsons, granddaughters of members of the Virginia American Legion family who exemplify the spirit and true American values and have been admitted to an accredited four-year college or university. Current scholarships are limited to those entering the freshman class. Awards in follow on years will be considered as funds are available.
Deadline: If mailed, it must be postmarked no later than 1 March. If submitted via email, deadline is no later than midnight 1 March. Call our Department of Virginia headquarters at 804-353-6606 for the proper email address to use.
Application: LUCIAN BUTLER AMERICAN LEGION APPLICATION
3) Samsung American Legion Scholarship
The Samsung American Legion Scholarship online application process is now open. Use the link at the bottom of this information. Please read through the requirements at the scholarship home page before applying.
Worldwide electronics leader Samsung endowed a scholarship fund of $5 million to be administered by The American Legion in 1996. Meant to show appreciation for U.S. veterans who came to Korea's aid during its struggle against communist forces in the Korean War, the Samsung American Legion Scholarship Program established a series of scholarships derived from interest and other income from the principal amount. As of 2019 the Samsung American Legion Scholarship has awarded more than $6.5 million in college scholarships to 2,266 applicants since its inception in 1996.
Eligibility: 1) Scholarship applications are limited to students between their junior and senior years of high school who attend the current session of either an American Legion Boys State or American Legion Auxiliary Girls State program and are a direct descendant - i.e. child, grandchild, great grandchild, etc. - or a legally adopted child of a wartime U.S. military veteran who served on active duty during at least one of the periods of war officially designated as eligibility dates for American Legion membership. 2) Applicants who are direct descendants of Korean War Era Veterans will receive three bonus points. 3) Applicants who upload a copy of a current membership to the American Legion Auxiliary or Sons of The American Legion will receive a bonus point or may receive a bonus point by uploading a current membership card of a parent in The American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary or Sons of The American Legion. No more than one bonus point for Legion Family membership will be awarded per application.
Deadline: Scholarship applicants must complete and submit their online application prior to 11:59 (local time) of Day 1 of their respective American Legion Boys State or American Legion Auxiliary Girls State program. All applications must be submitted using the online application system and may not be modified after the due date or given a deadline extension under any circumstance.
Applications: Access the online Samsung Scholarship application here
4) The American Legion Legacy Scholarship
Eligibility: The American Legion Legacy Scholarship is a needs-based scholarship designed to fulfill a financial gap remaining after all federal and state educational grants/scholarships available to an eligible applicant have been utilized.
WHO
- Children of U.S. military members who died while on active duty on or after Sept. 11, 2001.
- Children of post-9/11 veterans having been assigned a combined disability rating of 50 percent or greater by the Department of Veterans Affairs also qualify.
WHAT
- Each needs-based scholarship provides up to $20,000 in aid for undergraduate or post-graduate college. Recipients may reapply for additional annual awards up to six times.
Deadline: The application deadline is April 15, annually. Scholarship awards must be used within one year. Winners are announced each May.
Applications: Send an email to finance@legion.org or legacyfund@legion.org for application questions and requests.
5) The American Legion Baseball Scholarship
The American Legion awards between $22,000 and $25,000 in scholarships to deserving baseball players each year. Each Department Baseball Committee may select a player from its department to receive this scholarship. The American Legion will award several scholarships each year depending on the number of applicants and interest earned from the trust fund.
Eligibility 1) Attach a copy of his official high school transcript. 2) Have graduated from high school. 3) Be on a current roster (American Legion National Baseball Electronic Registration Form) filed with National Headquarters. 4) Be part of a team affiliated with an American Legion post. 5) Have three letters of testimony attached to application
Application: Access the online American Legion Baseball Scholarship application here
6) National High School Oratorical Contest Scholarship
- Scholarships are awarded to the three finalists. First place receives $25,000, second gets $22,500 and third takes $20,000.
- Oratorical scholarship recipients will be eligible to receive their scholarships immediately upon graduation from high school (public, parochial, military, private or state accredited home school) and must utilize the total award within eight (8) years, excluding active military duty or religious mission.
- Scholarships may be used to attend any college or university in the United States.
- Additionally, the winner of the National Oratorical Contest will travel to join the Youth Champion Delegation of The American Legion that is honored each August at the annual National Convention of The American Legion.
- Since this program starts at the local level, scholarships could be awarded to participants by posts, districts, counties and departments during earlier levels of competition.
Learn more about the Oratorical Contest>>
7) Eagle Scout of the Year American Legion Eagle Scout of the Year Scholarship
The American Legion Eagle Scout of the Year nomination window is from November 1st to March 1st, annually. Nomination packets must be received by each applicant’s respective American Legion department (state) headquarters no later than March 1st. Then each respective American Legion Department (state) Selection Committee will determine the Eagle Scout judged to be the best in their department (state). Then the department will send that packet, along with a list of the members serving on that Selection Committee, to The American Legion National Headquarters no later than April 1st.
The American Legion Eagle Scout of the Year will receive a $10,000 scholarship. Three runner-up scholarship awards will be granted in the amount of $2,500 each.
Applicants having questions or seeking additional information about their application or the application process should contact their respective American Legion department (state) headquarters. Contact information for American Legion department (state) headquarters may be obtained at www.legion.org/departments.
During the annual nomination window, the application form is available at the following link, Eagle Scout of the Year Nomination Form.
8) Junior Shooting Sports Scholarship
Annual American Legion 3-Position Junior Air Rifle Championship
Two Categories:
Precision: Winner will receive $5,000 in college scholarships
Sporter: Winner will receive $5,000 in college scholarships
These scholarships are provided in part by The American Legion and The Sons of the American Legion.
Second place finishers in each category will each receive $1,000 in college scholarships generously provided by The American Legion Auxiliary.
Junior Shooting Sports scholarship recipients will be eligible to receive their scholarships immediately upon graduation from high school and must utilize the total award within eight (8) years, excluding active military duty or religious mission.
Scholarships may be used to attend any college or university in the United States.
The winners in both Precision and Sporter category will receive an expense paid trip to The American Legion National Convention where they will be honored as part of the Youth Champions Delegation.
Learn more about the Junior Shooting Sports Program »
9) American Auxiliary Legion (ALA) sponsored American Essay Contest
Each year the American Legion Auxiliary sponsors an Americanism Essay Contest for students in grades 3 to 12. Grade levels are divided into five classes. One award in each of the five classes will be presented in each Division across the United States. The local American Legion Auxiliary Unit 180 in Vienna will judge the entries from our local area that will be submitted to the National level. Below are the details and the form is on the second page of this site.
The topic of this year’s contest is “How can we address the health and well-being of our veterans, military, and their families.’
As this is the same topic used in 2020, no Essay can be resubmitted from this past year. It will be disqualified for not being an original essay this year. If anyone feels it is too difficult for our younger students, make it simple for them. Using the same topic, ask them what they can do to help a veteran or military family in their family or neighborhood. Simple tasks like visiting them when they are lonely, reading to them, helping with groceries, going for a walk with them are just a few examples how they could enhance the lives of veterans, military, and their families. Let them use their imagination.”
Each essay entry in the contest must have a “2021 cover sheet." The cover sheet indicates the word requirements for each class and other necessary details. Please contact Margaret Dellinger, information below, for the cover letter.
Essays must be submitted to the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 180, 330 Center St. N. Vienna, VA 22180 no later than March 1, 2021 or emailed to Margaret Dellinger at vamember@aol.com. We hope your students will participate in our contest. On the local level there are cash prizes to the winner. The winners are then submitted to the State and National American Legion Auxiliary for judging.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Margaret Dellinger, Americanism Essay Chairman, American Legion Auxiliary Unit 180, 330 N. Center Street, Vienna, VA 22180.