Arrington, VA - Each year, the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives (VMDAEC) Education Scholarship Foundation awards scholarships to students graduating from high school or home school.
The scholarships are open to high school seniors who will be entering their first semester at a post-secondary or trade school in the fall of 2026. Also, the primary residence of the applicant’s parent or legal guardian must receive its power from one of the 16 electric cooperatives served by the VMDAEC – including Central Virginia Electric Cooperative (CVEC). VMDAEC has awarded more than $1.1 million in scholarships to more than 1,250 students across its tri-state service area since 2003.
Funds can be applied toward tuition, student fees, room and board, or textbooks. The deadline to apply is March 20, 2026. To learn more and apply, visit: vmdaec.com/scholarshipfoundation.
The Scholarship Foundation’s board of directors will select recipients based on criteria including financial need, academic achievement, and student’s personal statement. An applicant must be entering his or her first semester at a post-secondary or technical/trade school in the fall of 2026 and scholarship funds must be used towards tuition, student fees, room and board or textbooks. The number of scholarships awarded each year is based on the funds available.
The scholarships are named in honor of Worth Hudson, the first chairman of the VMDAEC Education Scholarship Foundation Board and former chairman of the board of directors of Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative in Chase City, Va.
The Foundation’s highest award, the Roberta I. Harlowe Scholarship, is awarded to a student within Central Virginia Electric Cooperative’s service territory. Roberta Harlowe and her husband, Bill, made a historic donation to the Foundation, starting the Foundation’s first endowment fund to secure the foundation’s future for generations to come. Over $50,000 has been endowed by Mr. and Mrs. Harlowe and set aside to provide a permanent financial foundation for the Association’s charitable works. Mrs. Harlowe was the first female to serve as a director at CVEC.
For more information about the VMDAEC Scholarship Program, or to access the application, visit www.vmdaec.com, www.mycvec.com, or www.co-opliving.com.
Please email questions about donations and the application process to scholarship@vmdaec.com.
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About CVEC
Central Virginia Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, not-for-profit, electric utility serving 39,000 homes, farms and businesses in the rural portions of 14 Virginia counties. CVEC connects its members and communities through reliable power and broadband services, delivering world-class, high-speed internet service through its subsidiary, Firefly Fiber Broadband. CVEC and its subsidiary are equal opportunity providers and employers. For more information, visit www.mycvec.com.
About VMDAEC
The Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives exists to serve the member-owned electric cooperatives in the three-state area. Thirteen co-ops in Virginia, two in Maryland and one in Delaware are members of the Association.
Association member cooperatives serve more than 2 million people in the three states through more than 700,000 meters in Virginia, more than 200,000 meters in Maryland and more than 110,000 meters in Delaware.