January 31, 2025
A transformational scholarship that eliminates the financial barrier to college for high-achieving students with demonstrated financial need students is now available in Bamberg County.
The Meeting Street Scholarship Fund offers up to $40,000 over four years for in-state tuition, fees, housing and food to eligible Bamberg County students who graduate from high school in 2025 and plan to enroll in college in fall 2025.
The scholarship’s expansion into Bamberg is made possible primarily by Doug Buckminster, a New York businessman whose family was inspired by the visionary work of the Scholarship. Other anonymous donors also contributed to the Bamberg expansion.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to support the hardworking and deserving students of Bamberg County,” Buckminster said. “By qualifying for the Meeting Street Scholarship, they’ve demonstrated remarkable achievement and future potential, and I’m grateful for the chance to support them as they take the next step toward achieving their dreams.”
An estimated eight Bamberg students will qualify for the Scholarship annually. Applications are open now for the 2025-26 school year.
The Meeting Street Scholarship Fund is one of the largest privately funded scholarship programs in the country. Part of what makes it unique is that all qualified applicants receive scholarships; there’s no limit to the number of students who can receive it.
The Scholarship announced one of its largest expansions to date in November with the addition of Spartanburg County and the generosity of donors Susu and George Dean Johnson, Jr.
Bamberg County is the 14th in the state where the Scholarship is available. The other counties are: Allendale, Barnwell, Charleston, Clarendon, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Jasper, Lee, Marion, Marlboro, Spartanburg and Williamsburg.
“We deeply appreciate Doug’s generous support, which will open more life-changing opportunities for students in Bamberg County,” said Ben Navarro, founder of the Meeting Street Scholarship Fund. “Mission 46, which is our campaign to expand statewide, is gaining momentum thanks to the backing of our incredible donors. We’re thrilled to now be available to students in 14 counties. This initiative is about more than financial aid; it’s about transforming the future of South Carolina and empowering the next generation to succeed.”
The Scholarship’s expansion into Bamberg County is significant given the rural region’s challenges. With 28 percent of residents living in poverty and 19 percent of adults holding a bachelor’s degree, the Scholarship offers unprecedented opportunity for local students to pursue their dreams of higher education.
“Bamberg County’s greatest strength is its students – every child deserves the chance to pursue their greatest ambitions,” said State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver. “Students in our rural schools are smart, committed and hardworking, and they deserve the same access to opportunity as students in every corner of our state. The Meeting Street Scholarship Fund is an extraordinary resource, providing hope and empowering students to build brighter futures for themselves, their families and their communities. By extending this life-changing opportunity to students in Bamberg and to students in 13 other counties, the leaders and donors of the Fund are helping turn the promise of these students into reality.”
The Meeting Street Scholarship Fund has committed a total of $38.6 million in scholarships to 964 students since its inception. The scholarship covers remaining costs after all other scholarships and need-based grants up to $10,000 per year, but it’s awarded prior to the use of student loans.
The Navarro family launched the Scholarship in 2020 for Charleston County students, and the Darla Moore Foundation expanded it in 2021 to the Pee Dee. New donors, including businessman Dave Proctor and the Johnsons, have provided additional support and enabled further expansion efforts. The Navarros’ Beemok Family Foundation covers all administrative costs to operate the fund.
Meeting Street Scholarship Fund uses straightforward criteria to determine student eligibility, including the South Carolina LIFE Scholarship for academic achievement and federal Pell Grant for demonstrated financial need, which leverages the power of both existing programs.
To qualify for the Scholarship, a student must:
Applications for students in Bamberg as well as all other counties now are open for the 2025-26 school year and can be found at meetingstreescholarshipfund.org.
MEDIA COVERAGE
© 2025 Meeting Street Scholarship Fund|Policies
