Local Foundations Strengthen Community Ties Through Support for Sweet Briar College Students
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Founded in 2006, the Al Stroobants Foundation supports education, science, and the arts, promoting public welfare and reducing human suffering.
Since the 1970s, the Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation has helped citizens give back and support the community they cherish.
Sweet Briar College: Where Bold Women Thrive, nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is more than just a campus—it's a launchpad for fearless leaders, innovators, and changemakers.
The Al Stroobants Foundation and GLCF provide scholarships and grants, empowering Sweet Briar College students and strengthening community partnerships.
The Al Stroobants Foundation and the Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation (GLCF) have impacted the campus community through scholarships and grant support for years.
“Support from local organizations like these demonstrates the reciprocal value of partnerships between Sweet Briar and surrounding communities. We envision strengthening these bonds for years to come,” said President Mary Pope Maybank Hutson ’83.
Each year, the Al Stroobants Foundation and Sweet Briar partner to fund the tuition of one or two scholars from the City of Lynchburg or Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, or Campbell Counties in Virginia. The awarded grants cover full tuition costs for each first-year recipient.
“The Al Stroobants scholarship is one of the best grants that could be given to a student in the surrounding areas of the college,” said Hannah Brooks ’27. “I am so thankful to be given the scholarship for my first year attending a four-year college, and I will forever be proud to say that I was the young woman to be awarded such a scholarship.”
Founded in 2006, the Al Stroobants Foundation started funding grants to Sweet Briar students in the 2018-2019 academic year. Since then, 13 students have received scholarships, helping them pursue their educational goals. Grants received over the past seven years have surpassed $300,000. The foundation continues Al Stroobants’ legacy of caring and providing for others through charitable giving following a life as an entrepreneur.
“The Al Stroobants Scholarship has allowed me to focus primarily on receiving my education without worrying about the financial stress that could potentially take away from my educational experience,” said Brianna Grooms ’28.
Also based in Lynchburg, the GLCF provides grants and scholarships to regional entities, helping residents and organizations create a charitable legacy. GLCF grants support student tuition, providing partial scholarships to first-year students with promise and financial need residing in the City of Lynchburg or Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, or Campbell Counties. Since Sweet Briar students started receiving these grants in 2019, 12 students have benefited from GLCF funding, totaling more than $56,000. Outside of scholarships, GLCF has also supported other projects on campus since 2017, including several grants to improve the College’s trail system.
“It means a lot to me to receive local support from the Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation, as they are helping me to afford my college experience. My ultimate career goal is to give back to my communities and empower students on their career paths, much like the GLCF has already done for me,” scholarship recipient Ciara Nauful ’26 said.
From business majors to visual artists, students receiving scholarships from either organization range in major, ethnicity, background, and interests, helping make Sweet Briar an even more vibrant place.
“This support from the Al Stroobants Foundation and the Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation is invaluable to Sweet Briar, its students, and the local community. We look forward to more area students choosing to attend Sweet Briar many years into the future,” President Hutson said.
The continued support from the Al Stroobants Foundation and the Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation highlights Sweet Briar’s commitment to making quality education accessible to talented female students from the local community. By providing scholarships and financial aid, these partnerships help attract high-achieving, service-driven students who will thrive in Sweet Briar’s rigorous academic programs and leadership opportunities. As the College looks to the future, we welcome more students who seek an innovative, hands-on education in a close-knit and supportive environment. To learn more about applying to Sweet Briar College, visit sbc.edu/admissions or contact Admissions at 434-381-6240.
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