Fred Rogers Scholars Program

Applications accepted for inaugural Fred Rogers Scholars Four-Year, $10,000 Scholarship Program

In order to engage students about children’s media and early childhood learning and leverage the resources of the Fred Rogers Center and the academic programs of Saint Vincent College, the Fred Rogers Scholars (FRS) Program was created in 2011. The purpose of the FRS Program is to educate and inspire those students interested in pursuing careers involving children, early learning and media for young children. Currently, a cohort of junior students is participating in a one-year pilot program and the four-year program will be launched in the fall of 2012 to include incoming freshmen as new scholars. Applications are no longer being accepted for this year. The initial class of scholars has been selected and will be announced by soon.

The students selected as Fred Rogers Scholars will each receive an additional $10,000 scholarship to be applied to their tuition over four years. The FRS Program will provide student participants with an understanding of challenges and opportunities related to early learning and children’s media; introduce participants to academics and professionals in related fields; and guide students through the development of a research project. Students will travel to local and national centers of research and media outlets. Scholarships will be renewed annually, based on students maintaining a 3.50 GPA and actively participating in the program.

The Fred Rogers Center

Staying true to the vision of Fred Rogers, and emulating the guiding principles of his life’s work, the mission of the Fred Rogers Center is to advance the fields of early learning and children’s media by acting as a catalyst for communication, collaboration, and creative change.

More than 50 years ago, Fred Rogers was the first to recognize the immense potential of television for nurturing and educating young children. In 2000, he began to lay the groundwork for helping current and future generations to reap these same benefits from children’s media. Collaborating with leaders from Saint Vincent College and a team of nationally recognized advisors, Fred began developing his vision for an international center that would bring together the brightest thinkers and practitioners in early learning, early childhood development, and children’s media. In September 2003, the Fred Rogers Center was established at Saint Vincent College. As a national and international resource for addressing emerging issues affecting children from birth to age 5, the Center continues Fred’s commitment to building bridges between early learning and children’s media. The work of the Fred Rogers Center resonates with Fred’s own belief in the positive potential of television and new media for supporting the healthy social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development of young children. Saint Vincent College houses the Fred Rogers Archives and the Fred Rogers Exhibit. For more information about the Fred Rogers Center at Saint Vincent College, please visit www.fredrogerscenter.org