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Rita Vital Scholarship

Rita Vital Legacy

Inspired by his mother Rita's lifelong example of hospitality and service, Greg Vital established the Rita Vital Endowed Scholarship for Faith and Service-Learning to encourage students to use their gifts to serve others, creating a lasting legacy of compassion, leadership, and Christian service.

Receive up to $2500

Up to $7,000 is currently awarded annually through the Rita Vital Endowed Scholarship for Faith and Service-Learning. Individual scholarship awards range from $1,000 to $2,500, depending on the number of recipients selected.

Qualifications

  1. Applications are accepted annually from April 15 through June 30.
  2. Applicants must be completing their freshman, sophomore, or junior year at Southern.
  3. Applicants must plan to be enrolled in person at Southern during the following academic year.
  4. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.
  5. Applicants must not be receiving a full-tuition scholarship from Southern.
  6. Applicants must demonstrate a strong interest in and commitment to serving others.
  7. Applicants must submit a 400–600-word reflective essay written in their own words without the use of AI. We want to hear your unique voice and story.

What to Include in Your Essay
  • Summarize how you have served others in your community throughout your life (before coming to Southern, while at Southern through clubs, LifeGroups, your church, campus events, etc.)   
  • Share how being involved in service has transformed you personally: your character, your walk with Jesus, etc.   
  • Share what your plans are after graduation and demonstrate specifically how serving others has impacted your calling and career choice.    
Important Dates and Next Steps
  • Essay submission deadline: July 1, 2026.
  • Applications will be evaluated by August 1. The scholarship committee will select recipients based on the quality of their essays, and award notifications will be sent by the first day of the fall semester.
  • Scholarship recipients are expected to attend the convocation and award luncheon.
  • Scholarship recipients are also expected to serve in a leadership role during MLK Service Day, such as coordinating a volunteer group or serving in another assigned leadership role. Recipients who are unable to fulfill this expectation should request prior approval for an alternative arrangement. Failure to participate without prior approval may result in forfeiture of the scholarship. Nursing majors with scheduled clinical rotations will be accommodated through an approved service leadership opportunity completed before MLK Service Day.