Now is the time of the year for the top high school seniors across the state to have the opportunity to compete for Fairmont State University’s premier academic scholarship, the Dr. Charles J. McClain Presidential Scholarship. 

“The Dr. Charles J. McClain Presidential Scholarship is just one more way we demonstrate our commitment to our state,” Fairmont State University President Mirta Martin said. “This highly competitive scholarship not only rewards students for their hard work in high school, but it also empowers these high-achieving students by allowing them to do what they came here to: excel in the classroom, enjoy college life, and truly soar.”

For the 13th consecutive year, Fairmont State will award this scholarship to three of the state’s top students. The competitive scholarship includes tuition, room and board, and a book stipend. The deadline to apply for the Presidential Scholarship is February 1, 2020. 

“When high achieving students come to the campus of Fairmont State University they are seeking one thing – connection. The teacher-mentors who choose Fairmont State University as the place where they build their career do so because Fairmont State University is a teaching institution,” Chris Sharps, senior director of Recruitment. “They can engage undergraduate students in research and discovery, as well as personal and career development endeavors. For a high-achieving student, a McClain Scholar, Fairmont State provides the right environment, as a Falcon, to spread their wing and soar to new heights.”

Applicants are eligible to participate in the Honors Program, which provides students the chance to enhance their academic experience through even smaller classes, trips across the country and abroad, as well as extracurricular activities on and off campus. Students in the Honors Program have the option to live in the Robert M. Grattan Honors Residence in Bryant Place. 

To compete for the Presidential Scholarship, named by the Fairmont State Board of Governors in honor of Dr. Charles J. McClain who served as interim president from 2008-2009, a student must meet the following criteria:

• Be a West Virginia student who is a member of the Class of 2019.
• Be a PROMISE Scholarship recipient.
• Submit a Charles J. McClain Presidential Scholarship application and essay.
• Complete an admissions file (general application, high school transcript, test scores) prior to the deadline.
• Have a cumulative high school GPA of 3.5 or higher.
• Have an ACT composite score of 26 or higher or 1190 SAT (combined Critical Reading and Math scores taken prior to March 2016) or 1260 SAT total score (taken March 2016 and after).
• Participate in on-campus interviews.

First-year recipients must maintain an overall GPA of a 2.75 at the end of their first year. An overall GPA of 3.0 is required for renewal during subsequent years. A minimum of 30 credit hours must be obtained in a year of enrollment for renewal. The Charles J. McClain Presidential Scholarship can only be awarded up to eight semesters. J. McClain Presidential Scholarship can only be awarded up to eight semesters.

Students can apply online at www.fairmontstate.edu/presidentialscholarship.