Scholarships

Sumter EMC offers scholarships to support local students pursuing higher education. These include the $1,000 Sumter EMC and Walter Harrison Scholarships. Awards are based on academic performance, leadership, and financial need, helping students in the cooperative’s service area achieve their educational goals.

If you are a senior in high school or a student enrolled in a college or university, please complete the 2026 Application to apply for the Sumter EMC Scholarship and/or the Walter Harrison Scholarship. The form below is for Both of these applications.

2026 Scholarship Application

Scholarship forms are Due on January 16, 2026.

If you have any questions, please contact Jacob Peed at jacob.peed@sumteremc.com or 229-924-8041 Ext. 2235. Below is more information about each scholarship.

Sumter EMC offers scholarships worth $1,000 each to two seniors accepted at an accredited college or technical school and live in or attend a school in our eleven county service territory.

Sumter EMC enters two applications from our membership into a pool of statewide entries each year. Seventeen $1,000 scholarships are up for grabs this year for students in EMC households. High school seniors and undergraduate students attending any vocational school or two- or four-year accredited college or university in Georgia are eligible to apply.

The scholarships are awarded based on a scored essay, academic achievement, and financial need. Georgia’s EMCs started the scholarship program to honor the late Walter Harrison. Harrison was known in Georgia and nationwide as “Mr. Rural Electrification” for his pioneering efforts in the electrical cooperative industry and his lifelong dedication to improving life in rural areas.

To be eligible, students must:

Be accepted or enrolled in an undergraduate degree program at any accredited two-year or four-year university, college, or vocational-technical institute in Georgia.
Complete the Walter Harrison application below.
Write a two-page autobiographical sketch with references to plans and goals.
Live in a primary residence served by Sumter EMC.

Sumter EMC Scholarship

Walter Harrison Scholarship

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