Federal funding freeze impacting VCU student’s earned scholarship

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) student could be in jeopardy of losing a scholarship she earned.

In December 2024, 25-year-old junior Savannah Morris was awarded a Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship. The program supports students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad. Morris, who majors in political science, with an international relations concentration, was granted $6,500 and planned to travel to Korea for the fall semester.

“I knew that I wanted to do political science when I was in my last semester at Bright Point Community College, mainly because I have experience in community organizing,” Morris said.

In February, Morris received an email from the scholarship program, saying funding for the scholarship had been put on hold by the U.S. Department of State. This was after President Donald Trump put a freeze on federal funding in January to give his administration time to review all federal financial assistance programs.

“I was extremely confused,” Morris said. “I immediately reached out to my representative at VCU who had worked with me for the Gillman scholarship, and they said, ‘We know as much as you do.’”

Morris said tough decisions will have to be made if she wants to continue pursuing her passion.

“College at VCU is something that I've been trying to do myself,” Morris said. “I don't want to have that additional financial burden on my parents.”

Morris said she’s applying for other scholarship opportunities while she waits for the Gilman program issues to be resolved.