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Bill and Marie Selby understood that, dedicating much of their generous legacy to helping others access the dream of college.

Seventy years after the Selby Foundation was founded, the process of awarding scholarships to “Selby Scholars” continues to introduce us to young people who have gone above and beyond to achieve a future that will change life for themselves, their communities, and people they care about.

This year’s Selby Scholars will graduate from high school with challenges we have never had to meet. The world that existed just five years ago has been changed by AI, politics, funding available for programs within colleges, support available for students in college, and so much more. Selby Scholars are agile and know how to navigate unchartered waters. While they may not know what comes next, they are prepared to adapt.

Students who are selected each year for the renewable scholarship are high-achieving academically. But that’s not all. They are dedicated servant-leaders. They actively find resources to enhance their resilience and ability to persevere. They seek spaces where they can develop personally even when it’s difficult.

Some students are the primary caretakers for younger brothers and sisters while parents work multiple jobs. Others work many hours after school and on weekends to contribute to their family income. Most maintain a complex schedule that demonstrates their ability to fully embrace opportunity wherever it shows up.

Scholars discover their own styles of leadership in high school while organizing service projects or excelling at JROTC, scouting, or tutoring others. They are students who start new initiatives they believe in and attract others to the cause, sometimes with a personal backdrop of anxiety or depression. Many volunteer for local nonprofits with hours far exceeding graduation requirements. They often grow confidence by helping their peers gain footing.

Life experiences are the motivation students cite for pursuing higher education. Recurring themes in scholarship essays include sacrifices families have made on their behalf, a personal health condition, the death of a close relative, or the desire to change an unjust condition.

These stories are not shared to engage application readers in a contest of “outdoing,” but they shed light on the powerful way students have used their experiences to develop resourcefulness, grit, empathy, and thirst for education that changes circumstances for the better.

Our scholars embrace the world with self-confidence. It’s not the kind whispering, “You are better than others.” It’s quiet assurance that says, “You deserve this, and you can do it.” These seeds have been watered in many ways—supportive teachers, parents and caregivers who believe in them, youth-serving organizations that push them to go the extra mile and know what they can achieve.

Much like Marie Selby, who cared about the students and their individual lives as much as she cared about the scholarships, our board and staff care deeply about seeing each student thrive after they go to college. Whether we help students adjust to their new surroundings, access extra tools for wellness, connect to other Scholars, or meet someone in their chosen career field, it all matters.

As much as one person can do on their own, we are each limited (or unlimited) by what a caring community contributes to set the stage for sustained confidence, access to opportunity, and a nurturing world. We thank everyone who has had a role in shaping the soon-to-be selected 2026 Selby Scholars. Trust us when we say they will pour back into the community in ways we cannot imagine.

Susie Bowie is the President and CEO of The William G. and Marie Selby Foundation.

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