Grant to fund full tuition for two Virginia students at Sweet Briar

Posted on January 26, 2018 by Janika Carey


Graduation 2017
Two women from Lynchburg or Bedford, Campbell or Amherst counties in Virginia will be able to study at Sweet Briar College at no tuition cost thanks to the Al Stroobants Foundation. A new grant just received by the College will fund two merit- or need-based scholarships of $21,000 each, underwriting full tuition and fees for two incoming first-years from Virginia for the 2018-19 academic year.

To be eligible, students must apply for admission at sbc.edu/admissions/apply-now by April 1 and include a recommendation from a teacher or counselor specific to this opportunity. For students wishing to be considered for need-based aid, they should also file the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and include SBC’s FAFSA code 003742. A scholarship committee will select the recipients from all eligible applications.

“We’re extremely grateful to the Al Stroobants Foundation for this generous gift that will recognize two deserving students from our local area, where we have so many talented scholars,” said Sweet Briar College President Meredith Woo.

Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Bill Allen echoed Woo’s gratitude. “Finding and rewarding our local talent is important to Sweet Briar,” he said. “We want to help make college affordable for everyone. This scholarship amount means we can guarantee the recipients free tuition for their first year — that’s incredible.”

Sweet Briar College’s recent academic reset reduced tuition by 32 percent to a price tag of $21,000 for tuition and fees, making it competitive with Virginia’s flagship universities. The reset, which takes effect in fall 2018, also included an overhaul of the curriculum. A modern core curriculum focused on women’s leadership in the 21st century replaces general education requirements and reimagines the liberal arts. In addition, students can earn up to $2,000 to fund experiential learning opportunities such as internships and study abroad.

The Al Stroobants Foundation was founded in 2006 by well-known Lynchburg philanthropist Alphonse Stroobants, a native of Belgium who came to the United States in 1954. Stroobants founded Belvac, formerly Belgium Tool and Die, in 1962 and served as its president and CEO until 1990. He later created a trust for cardiology services at Lynchburg General Hospital, which was named the Stroobants Cardiovascular Center in his honor. Stroobants died on July 1, 2010. His foundation continues to fund need-based programs in the counties of Bedford, Campbell, Amherst, and the cities of Bedford and Lynchburg, and supports charitable, scientific, literary and educational activities, including scholarship programs and the arts.

For more information, email admissions@sbc.edu or call 434-381-6142.