Congratulations to the 2025 Scholarship Recipients!!

Scholarships provide essential financial support for today’s college students. College degrees are required for more careers and workforce positions than ever before. The number of tuition dollars required for a student to earn his degree continues to escalate.

The Foundation for Fort Mill Schools establishes and manages college scholarships tailored to the specific goals of the sponsors. We currently offer 34 scholarships and awarded over $57,000 last year.

For scholarship details and applications available to your school, please click here.

Application Deadline: March 1, 2025

Awards: May 2025

The following scholarships are currently offered to qualifying students: 

Bill Banks Memorial Scholarship
To honor the memory of this long-time Fort Mill High School baseball coach, the Bill Banks Memorial Scholarship was established in 2021 by his family with the purpose of affording a deserving baseball student-athlete with demonstrated financial need, the opportunity to pursue a college degree. This $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to one senior from Catawba Ridge High School, Fort Mill High School, or Nation Ford High School.

Carter-Sink Memorial Scholarship
The Carter-Sink Memorial Scholarship was established in 2012 to honor the memory of Clifton Carter and Mitchell Sink with the purpose of affording an outstanding male soccer player from Fort Mill High School the opportunity to continue his education after high school. A scholarship up to $1000 is awarded annually to a qualified male soccer player at Fort Mill High School.

Dalton Evans Outdoorsman Scholarship---In memory of Dalton Evans
The Dalton Evans Memorial Scholarship memorializes the life of Dalton Evans, a Fort Mill High School graduate who was a friend to all, stranger to none; and above all was dedicated to his family. Proudly established in 2018 by his family, the $1000 annual scholarship will be awarded to a Catawba Ridge High School, Fort Mill High School, or Nation Ford High School graduating senior who shares Dalton’s enthusiasm for the outdoors.

David D. Berns Memorial Scholarship
The David D. Berns Memorial Scholarship was established in 2023 to honor the memory of this Nation Ford High School teacher. The $1000 scholarship was created to contribute to one graduating Nation Ford High School student’s future education with the hope that their life’s work will be rewarding and the student will make a positive difference in someone’s life much like David Berns did for his students.

F3 Fort Mill Community Scholarship
F3 Fort Mill Community Scholarship is a merit-based award that will be awarded to one graduating senior at each of the district high schools who will be pursuing a two- or four- year college education. This $1500 scholarship is for those who are balancing a role as student and citizen and is intended to support those students involved in their community and who possess excellent character.

Harold (Mac) and Phoebe McCallum Scholarship
Established by a former student in 1993, this scholarship honors Mac and Phoebe McCallum, who helped shape the lives of countless students with a combined 53 years of teaching. This fund awards three $2,000 scholarships annually, to one student at Fort Mill High School, one at Nation Ford High School and one at Catawba Ridge High School. Preference will be given toward, but not limited to, the pursuit of agriculture, business, or education.

Hugh White Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship honors the memory of Hugh White, an outstanding football player who excelled at life, showed love, defended the underdog, led by example and was a friend to everyone who knew him. Established in 1994 by his family, this fund awards a $1,500 scholarship each year to an outstanding football player from Fort Mill High School.

Irene Wilson White Future Teacher Scholarship
The Wilson family has lived in the Gold Hill community of Fort Mill since the 1830s. Many members of the family have been teachers and supporters of the Fort Mill School District. Dozens of the family are graduates of the FMSD and have benefited from the education they received. Irene Wilson White was born in the Gold Hill community and taught for over forty years in the Fort Mill School District and other area school districts. This scholarship has been created by the family of Irene Wilson White to assist Fort Mill School District graduates with the financial burden of obtaining a Bachelor Arts in Education, with the hope that they will become a teacher in South Carolina. One scholarship in the amount of $3000 each year for up to 4 years (for a total of $12,000) will be awarded to ONE selected applicant from among applicants from Catawba Ridge High School, Fort Mill High School, or Nation Ford High School. Guidelines will be outlined and agreed upon by the recipient and the sponsor to maintain the scholarship consecutive years.

Jackson Orthodontics Smile Forward Scholarship
The Jackson Orthodontics Smile Forward scholarship is a merit-based award that will be awarded to graduating high school seniors (one $1,000 award at each high school--Catawba Ridge High School, Fort Mill High School, and Nation Ford High School) who will be pursuing a healthcare-related degree in either a two- or four-year college. This is intended to provide financial assistance to prospective college students who are planning to major in and have a career in a healthcare related field.

Kimberly Mathis Endowed Academic Scholarship
The Kimberly Mathis Endowed Academic Scholarship was established in 2024 by her family in honor of her many contributions to the FMSD over her career. This annual scholarship continues her legacy of having a life changing impact in the Fort Mill School District. The FFMS will award an annual scholarship in the amount of $2,000 to one graduating senior from Fort Mill, Nation Ford or Catawba Ridge High School. Preference will be given toward, but not limited to, the children or grandchildren of FMSD bookkeepers, receptionists or Finance Department staff. Preference will also be given to students who plan to major in Finance or Accounting.

Malison Financial Group Scholarship
The Malison Financial Group Scholarship was established in 2015 to help provide financial support for deserving students from Catawba Ridge High School, Fort Mill High School or Nation Ford High School to continue their education after high school. The scholarship is intended to support those students with an exceptional work ethic in any aspect of life and a demonstrated financial need. $2,000 per year will be awarded for up to four years. Guidelines will be outlined and agreed upon by the recipient and the sponsor to maintain the scholarship consecutive years.

Phyllis H. Faircloth Special Education Scholarship
Phyllis H. Faircloth served 42 years as a special education teacher, most of those years in the Fort Mill School District. The Faircloth Special Education Scholarship of $2000 was established in 2013 by Springfield Elementary School and her colleagues with the purpose of affording a deserving student from Catawba Ridge High School, Fort Mill High School, or Nation Ford High School the opportunity to pursue a degree in special education.

Robert C. & Dorothy C. Hill Marine JROTC Scholarship
The Robert C. & Dorothy C. Hill Marine JROTC Scholarship was established in 2014 in honor of Robert C. Hill and his wife, Dorothy, to help a student who exemplifies the ethics, standards, and values of the Marine Corps to continue his/her education. One student from Fort Mill High School and one student from Nation Ford High School will each be awarded a $2,000 scholarship.

Service Above Self Scholarship
The Fort Mill Rotary Club established the Service Above Self Scholarship in 2019 to provide financial support to a deserving student from Catawba Ridge High School, Fort Mill High School or Nation Ford High School as they continue their education after high school. This $3000 scholarship is awarded to one graduating senior who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to service above self and unselfish volunteer service.

Teacher Forum: Teacher Cadet Scholarship
The Teacher Cadet Scholarship, established in 2012 by the Fort Mill School District Teacher Forum, will help selected Teacher Cadets pursue their degrees in teaching. Scholarships in the amount of $500 will be awarded to Teacher Cadet(s) at Catawba Ridge High School, Fort Mill High School and Nation Ford High School. The number of scholarships awarded changes yearly.

Tim Hawkins Memorial Scholarship
Tim Hawkins was a hardworking, compassionate, devoted swim coach who was a friend to all who knew him. This scholarship was established in his memory by the Hawkins family in 2008. A $500 scholarship is awarded annually to an outstanding member of the Fort Mill High School Swim Team.

Barrel Aged Charities Scholarship
The Barrel Aged Charities (BAC) Scholarship, established in 2023, is a non-renewable, merit-based award intended to provide financial assistance to two graduating seniors at high schools in the Fort Mill School District (Fort Mill, Nation Ford, and Catawba Ridge) that have been impacted by a family member being diagnosed with prostate cancer. Two $1500 scholarships will be awarded for the district.

John Barry Thoma Memorial Tennis Scholarship
The John Barry Thoma Scholarship was established in 2023 to honor the memory of John Barry Thoma with the purpose of affording an outstanding female or male varsity tennis player the opportunity to continue her/his education after high school. This $1,500 scholarship will be awarded to one senior from Fort Mill High School, Nation Ford High School, or Catawba Ridge High School.

2025 Scholarship Recipients