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General Scholarship Information 2026
Good Luck to ALL who enter these scholarship programs!
1. The General Society of Mayflower Descendants offers a scholarship opportunity. Information about GSMD scholarships can be found here. The next scholarship cycle begins January 2026.
Dear Mayflower Society Governors,
Our ancestors passed some of the earliest laws designed to make sure all the town's children were properly educated. Help us continue that sacred trust by assisting our children to reach their highest educational goals.
The GSMD Scholarship application is now open on the website. Please advise members of your Society about this opportunity for graduating high school seniors who are related to our GSMD members. They may go to the GSMD website to apply.
The applications will close on March 2, 2026.
Let's send some kids to college!
LISA H. PENNINGTON,
SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
The General Society of Mayflower Descendants (GSMD) Scholarship Program is awarding three High School Senior students’ scholarships in the amount of: $6000, $5000, $4000. In addition, a $2,400 Mary Chilton Winslow Scholarship will also be awarded. For all these scholarships, it is required to be a graduating high school senior who is a Mayflower descendant and will be attending a four-year college or university or two-year community college.
ANCESTRY REQUIREMENTS
For an applicant to be considered for a Mayflower Scholarship, the Applicant must provide the name of the Mayflower Ancestor(s) from whom they descend. They must also provide a valid GSMD membership number for either the applicant or for a parent, grandparent, or great grandparent of the applicant. This member must be active – not deceased, resigned or dropped.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Each scholarship applicant must:
- Be a graduating senior
- Complete and submit the application form
- Complete and submit the essay
- Submit a recent transcript
- Enter a four-year college or university or two-year community college.
In the spirit of the Mayflower settlers seeking to better themselves by moving to a new and uncharted world, special consideration will be given to applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to bettering themselves.
Applicants are required to provide names/emails from a teacher and a person in the community for each of them to complete a “Letter of Recommendation” form. Failure to send appropriate forms will eliminate your application from consideration.
2. SMDPA awards four $1000 prizes for National History Day (NHD)-two at the junior level and two at the senior level. The theme for NHD for 2025 is Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History. More detailed information is at the NHD website- nhd.org under 2026 contest. The contest is open to students grades 6-12. You enter at your local level-check with your history or civics teacher. The SMDPA prizes are awarded at the state level, so you must advance from the local level to the state level to be eligible for a Mayflower Prize. The state final is always held at University of Scranton in the Spring. There are many different categories-papers, exhibits, performances, documentaries and websites, individuals and groups. These are open to all Pennsylvania students-there is no Mayflower descent requirement. (Note - SMDPA reserves the right to NOT grant a reward if there isn't something that meets our expectations)
Their website is NHD.org. Information can also be found at https://sail1620.org/National_History_Day_Competition
3. 2026 SMDPA Scholarship details and application information is now available at https://sail1620.org/Elizabeth_Tilley_Howland_Scholarship_2026.
Previous Winners:
2025 SMDPA - Merin Haussman
2024 SMDPA - Renee Jonsson
2023 SMDPA - Ben Fossa
2022 SMDPA Winners - Tilley-Howland Scholarship to James Goss: 2022 and one-time COVID Perseverance Award to Patrick Sullivan
2021 SMDPA - no entries
2020 SMDPA - no entries
2019 SMDPA Winner - Bradley Goss
