COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina State Fair has announced the recipients of its 2025 Ride of Your Life Scholarship, awarding $10,000 each to 53 high school seniors from across the state. This year’s total of $530,000 in scholarships includes three additional awards made possible by a $37,000 donation from Circle K and EMC Tickets — one of which was designated specifically for a Circle K employee or dependent.
“Our scholarship program is all about planting seeds — investing in students now so they can grow into the leaders, innovators and community builders of tomorrow,” said Nancy Smith, general manager of the S.C. State Fair.
The annual scholarship — administered by the S.C. State Fair, a self-supporting nonprofit — provides $2,500 per year for four years to students attending a South Carolina college, university, or technical school. Recipients were selected based on academic achievement, extracurricular involvement, financial need, and a thoughtful essay on the theme “What does harvesting happiness mean to you, and how do you cultivate it in your life?”
“Reading this year’s essays felt a lot like walking the fairgrounds — full of real stories, big dreams and heartfelt moments,” Smith said.
Since the scholarship program’s launch in 1997, the fair has awarded nearly $6 million in scholarships to deserving South Carolina students. To remain eligible, recipients must maintain a 3.0 GPA and complete at least 30 credit hours per year.
For more information and a full list of this year’s scholarship winners, visit SCStateFair.org.