In June of each year, Metropolitan offers three scholarship contests to members who are college-bound high school seniors.
Themes are announced in the Spring.
The Christian Discipleship Council is pleased to invite all members of the Class of 2025 to register for Graduate Sunday! Your Metropolitan Church Family is looking forward to celebrating your academic achievements on Sunday, June 1, 2025 (tentative)! All graduates from Preschool through Ph.D. are encouraged to register. Fill out the form here.
The Metropolitan Baptist Church common Scholarship application includes:
The Wilbert C. Carter, Sr. and Jessie J. Carter in Memoriam Scholarship – $700.00
The Sydney Oliver Garth Scholarship for the Arts – $2,000.00
The Hampton University Virgie Hamlin Jones Scholarship – $2,000.00
The Lena Price Smith Scholarship – $750.00
The Mamie O. Smith Scholarship – $1,000.00
Completed Scholarship Application must be submitted to Rev. Adriane Blair Wise at awise@metropolitanbaptist.org by Sunday, June 08, 2025 (tentative) at 11:59 P.M.
The Hampton University Virgie H. Jones College Scholarship is a tribute to Servant Virgie Hamlin Jones a steadfast member of the Metropolitan Baptist Church (MBC) for 80 years and a proud graduate of Hampton Institute - now Hampton University. Servant Virgie departed this life on September 28, 2021, yet our memories of Servant Virgie and her exemplary service still speak loudly as a role model to the Metropolitan family and especially to her fellow Hamptonians at MBC.
Servant Virgie was a star vocalist in the Senior Choir, a founding member of the Questers, a Sunday School Teacher, and a Director of the Lay Ministry. Yet she found the time and summoned the energy to volunteer at the Metropolitan Day School, served as Church Clerk, Church Archivist and founder of the MBC Hampton University Alumni Association.
While much more could be said about Servant Virgie, her example of service, dedication and tireless devotion to her Church and to her Alma Mater stand as a testament to her extraordinary life. It was her heartfelt intention that we salute MBC high school graduates admitted to Hampton University with this scholarship award.
Requirements:
- Applicant must be graduating from a local high school in the DMV.
- Applicant must attach a copy of their acceptance letter to Hampton University.
- Applicant must be an active member of Metropolitan Baptist Church for at least one (1) year.
- Applicant must show evidence of being actively engaged in Youth Ministry activities at Metropolitan (e.g., Usher, Music & Fine Arts, Youth Ministry, etc.).
- Write a typed paragraph about why you have chosen to attend Hampton.
Please submit this information directly to Rev. Adriane Blair Wise, Minister of Christian Spiritual Formation, at awise@metropolitanbaptist.org no later than SUNDAY, JUNE 8, 2025.
Dr. E. C. Smith, the late Pastor Emeritus of Metropolitan Baptist Church who served as Senior
Minister for over 45 years, bequeathed in his will the establishment of the Mamie O. Smith
Scholarship. This scholarship is in honor of his first wife, the late Mamie O. Smith, a former MBC
First Lady who served God at Metropolitan with charming dignity and refinement. She was an active
member of the Senior Choir and the Union Missionary Society.
Each fall a $1,000.00 scholarship is
given directly from the estate of Dr. Smith and is presented to a high school graduate enrolling in
college in the fall that exemplifies Metropolitan Baptist Church at its best.
Requirements:
- Applicants must be an active member of Metropolitan Baptist Church for at least one (1) year or more.
- Applicants must be involved in at least one ministry within the church.
- Applicants must be a high school graduate within the District of Columbia/Maryland/or Virginia (DMV), and have completed a Graduate Sunday Form.
- Applicants must write a one (1) to two (2) page, double-spaced, typed biographical sketch.
- Application is due by Sunday, June 8, 2025 to awise@metropolitanbaptist.org.
The Eleanor Frazier Hicks Oratorical Scholarship, named after the beloved mother of our Pastor, is designed to give financial assistance to graduating high school seniors who are members of Metropolitan Baptist Church. The scholarship, presented to the winner of the Eleanor Frazier Hicks oratorical contest, seeks to provide financial assistance to seniors who will both continue their education, and seek to be articulate and effective communicators in their careers. The scholarship is sponsored by Dr. H. Beecher Hicks, Jr., Sandra Cox, Esq., and William Hicks, M.D. Three awards are given: first place - $1,500, second place - $1,000, and third place $750.
The Christian Discipleship Council, formerly known as the Board of Christian Education, was
founded in 1944 under the leadership of the late Dr. E. C. Smith. Mrs. Lena Price Smith was the first
Chairperson of the Board, a post that she held from 1944 to 1976. Under her leadership, the
following initiatives were established: Teacher Training Class, The Christian Education Institute,
Leadership Training School, and Baptist Youth Fellowship. All high school graduates who will be
attending a college or university are eligible to apply for a Lena Price Smith Scholarship. This
scholarship is $750.00.
Requirements:
- Applicants must be an active member of Metropolitan Baptist Church.
- Applicants must be a high school graduate within the District of Columbia/Maryland/or Virginia (DMV), and have completed a Graduate Sunday.
- Applicants should submit a copy of a letter of acceptance from the institution of higher learning.
- Applicants must submit signed documentation verifying completion of at least 60 hours of volunteer church/community service.
- Applicants must also submit to the Christian Discipleship Council a two (2) page, double-spaced, typed essay on the topic: “What is the Evidence of Metropolitan Cares?”
- Applicants must complete a Graduate Sunday form.
- Application is due by Sunday, June 8, 2025 to awise@metropolitanbaptist.org.
Hampton University is a place that values scholarship, talents and achievement. It is also a place that values character. It is a place that believes in integrity, honesty, respect for oneself, respect for others, decency, dignity, responsibility and fairness. It believes in providing an "Education for Life" to the whole person. On behalf of the Hampton Alumni in Metropolitan Scholarship Fund (HAM), (1) one $1,500.00 scholarship will be awarded to a deserving MBC student.
The Howard University Leadership and Service Scholarship is a $1,000 award presented to a
graduating high school senior who exemplifies outstanding leadership and a deep commitment to
community service. This scholarship seeks to support a student who will attend Howard University
and continue to use their leadership skills and dedication to service to make a meaningful impact on
campus and in the broader community.The Carter family will award one scholarship in the amount of $1,000.00 to an eligible high school senior who will attend an accredited* college or university. The student must be graduating from a public or charter high school. For a list of accredited colleges and universities, please visit www.ed.gov
- Applicants must be an active member of Metropolitan Baptist Church.
- Applicants must be a high school graduate within the District of Columbia/Maryland/or Virginia (DMV), and have completed a Graduate Sunday.
- Applicants should submit a copy of a letter of acceptance from the institution of higher learning.
- Applicants must submit signed documentation verifying completion of at least 50 hours of volunteer church/community service.
- Applicant must provide a summary or attach a resume that includes the following:
- Leadership positions held
- Community service involvement
- Honors/awards related to leadership or service received
- Applicant must type a 500-word essay responding to the following prompt:
“How do you plan to use your leadership skills and commitment to service to make a difference at Howard University and beyond?” - Applicant must provide two letters of recommendation:
- One from a school official (teacher, counselor, or administrator)
- One from a community or church leader familiar with your service and character
- Applicants must complete a Graduate Sunday form.
- Application is due by Sunday, June 8, 2025 to awise@metropolitanbaptist.org.
This scholarship is made in memory of our parents, Wilbert C. Carter, Sr. and Jessie J. Carter, who
were living examples of the Christian walk and worked tirelessly for the kingdom of God. They were
members of and active in Metropolitan Baptist Church for greater than 60 years. The objective of
this scholarship is to provide post-secondary support to a graduating high school senior who has
excelled academically and contributed his or her talents to the improvement of the community. The
scholarship recognizes the impact that financial assistance can have on higher education study and
completion.
The Carter family will award one scholarship in the amount of $800.00 to an eligible high school
senior who will attend an accredited* college or university. The student must be graduating from a
public or charter high school.
*For a list of accredited colleges and universities, please visit www.ed.gov.
Requirements:
- Be an active member of Metropolitan Baptist Church
- Be a college-bound graduating senior from a public or public charter school
- Plan to enter an accredited* four-year university or college as a full-time freshman in the fall of the calendar year in which the application is made
- Complete the application packet as prescribed by the instructions herein
- Have a scholastic average of at least 2.8 on a 4.0 scale
Application Procedures:
To be considered for a scholarship, you must complete the application form, community service narrative, and essay. Only typed applications and statements will be accepted. Handwritten applications will not be accepted. Please submit the completed application package to awise@metropolitanbaptist.org no later than June 8, 2025.
Your complete application packet must include the following:
- Application
- Official Transcript
- SAT/ACT Scores
- Two letters of recommendation
- One from a principal, counselor, or advisor
- One from a teacher at your school, on official letterhead attached to the form provided
- Student community service — One double-spaced (12 pt. font) paragraph on your involvement in community service, including the name of the organization and a brief description of your responsibilities
- Student essay — One 400-word double-spaced (12 pt. font) essay on why you are applying for a scholarship or how you plan to use your college education to make the world a better place
All information will be kept in the strictest of confidence. Finalists may be required to participate in an in-person interview on a date to be announced.
The Sydney Oliver Garth Scholarship for the Arts is for students with majors in the visual arts
including, but not limited to, architecture, ceramics, drawing, fashion, graphic design, illustration,
interior design, painting, photography, sketching, video production and other decorative arts.
Established in 2020, the scholarship honors Sydney Garth who wanted to ensure that youth have
access to arts and arts education regardless of race or economic status.
Mr. Garth, a long-time member of Metropolitan, dedicated his life to supporting arts and fine arts at
Metropolitan and in the Washington D.C. community. Sydney spent many years mentoring and
supporting young artists as members of many musical ensembles including the Washington
Performing Arts Men and Women of the Gospel Choir, Heritage Choral, Baltimore Community
College, the Metropolitan Music Ministry and The Academy. His fine arts mentoring was not
limited to music, he also served as the admissions director and mentor at The Art Institute of
Washington and manager at Van McCoy Music. Sydney’s commitment to the arts will live on
through each recipient of the Sydney Oliver Garth Scholarship for the Arts.
ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP
The Sydney Oliver Garth Scholarship for the Arts offers awardees $2,000 and the opportunity to showcase your visual arts at the Metropolitan Baptist Church.Procedures
- Applicants must be U.S. citizens or a permanent U.S. resident, pursuing a major and career in a visual art, or planning to enroll in the upcoming 2024-2025 academic year as a full-time undergraduate student.
- Applicants must exhibit leadership ability and participation in community service activities.
- A minimum 2.5 GPA is required.
- Applicants must furnish the Committee with proof of exceptional ability in his/her chosen field by submitting:
- In one document, a personal statement explaining how the scholarship will aid in your development into a professional artist (500-word maximum).
- Resume detailing your academics, extracurricular activities, honors, employment, community service, and special skills.
- One letter of recommendation from an art teacher or mentor.
- An unofficial transcript (all pages, in color, and legible).
- MOST IMPORTANT – A photo of an original piece of artwork from the art genre for which you are applying, with each file name showing the piece’s title. While you may submit copies of a number to demonstrate the breadth of your artistic abilities, please indicate which ONE you would like the scholarship committee to judge for the purpose of the scholarship competition.
- Please submit this information directly to Rev. Adriane Blair Wise, Minister of Christian Spiritual Formation at awise@metropolitanbaptist.org no later than SUNDAY, JUNE 8, 2025.