ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP: The Mary Jane Simpson Scholarship Fund (MJS, MJSSF or “the Fund”) is a four-year college scholarship program run by three Quaker Meetings: Bethesda Friends Meeting (BFM), Friends Meeting of Washington (FMW), and Langley Hill Friends Meeting (LHFM). The scholarship was established in 1981, and in 1993 it was named for Mary Jane Simpson, an FMW member who had been a social worker in the DC public schools. It is supported entirely through donations by individuals, contributions by the three Meetings, and mission aligned foundations.

SCHOLARSHIP SELECTION CRITERIA & AWARD: MJS Scholars are students who have a demonstrable ability to overcome challenges to development or success; evince a commitment to getting a college education, are driven to succeed academically, and have demonstrated significant financial need*. They also have a proven record of academic and extracurricular achievement coupled with strong civic values and a history of familial or community contributions. Depending on donations, approximately 4 to 5 applicants will become MJS Scholars in 2025. These Scholars will be awarded scholarships ranging from $2,000 to $4,000 per year for each of the 4 years of college without the need to reapply for the award each year.

This four-year scholarship is open to all DC Public and Public Charter School seniors.  It is made possible by three Quaker Meetings: Bethesda Friends Meeting, Friends Meeting of Washington (FMW) and Langley Hill Friends Meeting.  The scholarship was established in 1981 and later was named for Mary Jane Simpson, an FMW member who had been a social worker in the DC public schools.  It is supported entirely through donations by individuals and the three Meetings.
Selection Criteria:  Students with strong financial need*, demonstrated drive and determination to succeed in college, solid academic achievement,  success in overcoming past obstacles, strong values and contribution to community. Recipients are chosen by a committee of the three sponsoring Meetings; applicants' religious affiliations have no bearing on the selection process.

*The MJS Committee considers the financial position of applicants and those contributing to their college education (typically parents or legal guardians). An applicant’s plans for financing their college education are also taken into account. MJS Scholars generally have either a very low Student Aid Index (SAI) on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); or $50,000 or less as reported on their parent’s/legal guardian’s tax return as filed with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for the previous year.

Important Dates:

• Monday, February 10, 2025.  Opening Date for On-line Application Submission
• Sunday April 20, 2025. Submitted applications must be entirely complete, including documents being submitted by others, by 11:59 pm, Sunday, April 20th  in order to be considered. 
• Saturday, June 14, 2025. Selected applicants are Interviewed via Zoom.
• By Monday, June 23, 2025. Notification of Awardees; letter sent via email to email address provided by the applicant.

Application Criteria and Instructions: Applications are accepted solely online at this internet address. We can accept most file formats, but prefer pdfs.
 To start your application, you must first create an account with Submittable.com. When you create this account, use your first and last names by which you are known to your high school teachers or other school staff. If you send a request for others to upload materials, such as a reference letter, your name on your Submittable.com account is what will show up in the request to them.
 Your log-in with Submittable requires an email address. You should use an email address that you will be able to use for at least the next four years. Do NOT use an email address from your high school; such email addresses expire at some time after your high school graduation. Please be sure to save your Submittable.com log-in and password information, so that you can return to this site.

Questions:  Questions about the scholarship, criteria, requirements, for those experiencing technical issues with the online platform or students unable to access the internet, please email mjsimpsonscholarship@gmail.com.