2026 Strong Roots Scholarship

Congratulations to our 2025 scholarship recipient, find out more about our previous winners here! 

At Virginia Defense Group, community is more than a word, it’s a responsibility. Serving and defending individuals across eastern Virginia has allowed our firm to develop deep connections with the people and places we call home. We believe strong communities are built through intention, service, and long-term investment.

As technology continues to reshape how people connect, live, and work, conversations around the meaning of “community” are more important than ever. The 2026 Strong Roots Scholarship was created to encourage students to reflect on how communities are evolving in the digital age and what it means to build lasting, healthy connections in today’s world.

Through this scholarship, Virginia Defense Group is proud to support students who are committed to education, community engagement, and thoughtful leadership, wherever their academic and professional paths may take them.

Application Deadline: August 31, 2026

Award Amount: $500

Eligibility

  • Applicants must be current or incoming students enrolled in an accredited post-secondary institution, including community colleges, undergraduate programs, graduate programs, law schools, or business programs. High school seniors who plan to enroll in a qualifying institution are also eligible to apply.
  • Applicants must be legal residents of the United States and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. 
  • Employees of Virginia Defense Group, as well as their immediate family members and individuals residing in the same household, are not eligible to participate.

Application Requirements

  • To be considered, applicants must complete the scholarship submission form and provide all required materials.
  • Applicants must submit a 500-word essay responding to the following prompt: How is the meaning of the word “community” changing in today’s world, and what does that mean for people who wish to build strong, healthy communities?
    • All essays will be reviewed for originality and checked for AI-generated content. Applications containing AI-written material will not be considered.
  • In addition to the essay, applicants must submit:
    • A professional résumé outlining academic and professional experience
    • A transcript from their current institution (official or unofficial accepted)
  • High school seniors must also submit proof of college acceptance
  • Preference may be given to students who are from or currently attending school in the state.

The recipient of the 2026 Strong Roots Scholarship will be chosen during the month following the scholarship deadline of August 31, 2026. 

For all scholarship-related inquiries, please use this contact form. We are unable to answer scholarship questions by phone, email, or through any other contact forms listed on this website.