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The Dorsey Scholars Program

In 2013, McDaniel College received approximately $6.7 million from the estate of 1891 alumnus Philip Henry Dorsey, of St. Clements Bay, to establish an endowment for scholarships.  One of 18 students to earn a bachelor's degree from the college in 1891, the college's total enrollment at the time of Dorsey's attendance was 154 students. Today, Dorsey's gift funds the Dorsey Scholars Program, the most prestigious academic and scholarship program at the college.

McDaniel Campus 1942

The Value of a Dorsey Scholarship

It is easy to look at the monetary value of a Dorsey Scholarship and feel inspired. As a result of this historic gift, each Dorsey Scholar receives a scholarship that covers the costs of tuition, room and board at McDaniel College.

In addition, Dorsey scholars also receive a stipend for books (up to $600 per semester), technology (up to $2000), and travel to McDaniel College Europe in Budapest (up to $2000).

But the value in being a Dorsey Scholar is much greater than the sum awarded.

By accepting a Dorsey Scholarship, our Dorsey Scholars accept a place in the history of this college, becoming part of the tradition of giving that makes McDaniel possible for all our students. It is through gifts like Philip Henry Dorsey's that McDaniel continues to attract impressive young people from across the country.

Dorsey Ambassadors

Dorsey Scholars serve as academic leaders and role models on campus. They work closely with the President of the college, welcoming prestigious guests to campus and sharing their McDaniel experience. They serve as examples of what is possible through hard work. In short, they represent the very best of McDaniel through their excellence, intelligence and kindness.

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Meet the newest Dorsey Scholars Three incoming freshmen surprised with Dorsey Scholarships

McDaniel College’s Admissions Office along with the Green Terror surprised three incoming Class of 2025 students by announcing them as the college’s newest Dorsey Scholars. The Dorsey Scholars Program is the highest academic honor at McDaniel and includes full tuition, room, and board for all four years.

Read "Three incoming freshmen surprised with Dorsey Scholarships"

Becoming a Dorsey Scholar

Eligibility

All first year applicants who submit their application for admissions before December 15 are considered for the Dorsey Scholarship. Admissions counselors identify possible Dorsey Scholars by reviewing the academic record and academic rigor of each applicant, as well as assessing character, motivation and potential for success.

Approximately 20 first year students, representing the top 2% of the applicant pool, are invited to participate in the Dorsey Scholars competition. Students are invited in January by their admissions counselor and also receive a print invitation.

The Dorsey Scholar Competition 

The Dorsey Scholar Competition occurs the day before the annual Scholars on the Hill event. Dorsey candidates arrive on campus Friday evening for a reception that includes dinner and the opportunity to socialize with current Dorsey Scholars, the President and other college administrators.  

Dorsey candidates who attend Friday's reception and the Scholars on the Hill event the following day will be invited to participate in a virtual interview with the Dorsey Scholar Selection Committee. This interview takes place the week following these events to assess the qualities and achievements of each Dorsey Scholar candidate. 

The Dorsey Scholar competition results in full-tuition, room, and board scholarships for up to 5 finalists. Recipients are typically notified in mid-March.

Scholarship Details & Policies

Because the Dorsey Scholarship is a large investment in an individual student, policies have been developed to govern the award. All incoming Dorsey Scholars will be asked to review the policies and indicate their understanding through their signature.

Dorsey Scholarship Policies

  1. All Scholarships over which the College has discretion must be reviewed in advance of being offered to a Student by the Financial Aid Office to ensure that they comply with applicable federal student aid regulations. A Student’s Total Aid Package cannot exceed the Student’s Cost of Attendance.
  2. The Dorsey Scholarship
    1. The Dorsey Scholarship covers the annual cost of tuition, room and board for eight consecutive semesters or the completion of a bachelor’s degree, whichever comes first.
    2. The purpose of the scholarship is to honor and celebrate outstanding students who will be future leaders at McDaniel College. In their role as Dorsey Scholars, Dorsey scholarship recipients will serve as Ambassadors of the College, representing the college with integrity.
    3. The Dorsey Scholarship is not one set scholarship amount; rather the scholarship amount reflects the particular financial situation of each individual student, taking into account each student’s eligibility for federal and state aid, and external scholarships earned by the student through other scholarship programs.
    4. The Dorsey scholarship will never exceed the annual cost of tuition, room and board less any federal or state grants applied to the students account. As the student’s costs are paid by federal or state sources, the Dorsey scholarship will change so as to not exceed the cost of tuition, room and board.
    5. Many Dorsey scholarship recipients apply for and are awarded additional external scholarships. External scholarships are applied to the student’s account and may result in a refund. Per McDaniel College financial aid policy, in every case, the maximum refund a student can receive is the difference between the direct charges and the institutional cost of attendance. Refunds are issued approximately 4-6 weeks into the semester.

Eligibility

  1. To be eligible for a Dorsey scholarship, first year students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) annually. International students who are not eligible to submit the FAFSA must have this documented in writing following a meeting with the Financial Aid Office.
  2. To be eligible for the Dorsey scholarship, students must abide by the rules and regulations of the college and maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress. Unless stated explicitly in this document, all McDaniel financial aid policies apply to the Dorsey Scholarship and its recipients. 

Tuition Details

  1. A student must be enrolled at McDaniel College full-time with a minimum of 12 credits per semester in order to receive the Dorsey Scholarship. The scholarship only covers the tuition for undergraduate courses except in the following cases:
    1. where faculty substitute a graduate level class as an independent study for an undergraduate course or;
    2. in the case that an undergraduate student is admitted to a 5-year program that requires undergraduate students to take a minimum of one graduate level class once they are admitted to the graduate program.
  2. Required fees or fees associated with registered courses will be covered by the Dorsey scholarship. 

Room and Board Details

  1. Room is defined as the charge for housing annually; traditionally Dorsey recipients live in standard double rooms or in Honors housing. The maximum scholarship for each Dorsey student’s room is equivalent to the annual cost of a double North Village residential hall room. If a student elects to live in a more expensive housing option in any year, any cost over the maximum scholarship amount is the responsibility of the student.
    1. For example, for the 2022-2023 academic year, the annual cost of a double North Village residential hall room is $8180. If a Dorsey recipient chooses to live in double North Village residential hall room costing $8180, the Dorsey room scholarship would be $8180. If a Dorsey recipient chooses to live in a standard double hall room costing $5682, the Dorsey room scholarship would be $5682.  If the Dorsey recipient is an upper-classmen and chooses to live in a single North Village residential hall room (which costs $9090 annually), the Dorsey room scholarship would be $8180 and the remaining balance for the premium housing option would be $910. This balance would be the responsibility of the student.
    2. If a Dorsey student chooses to live off-campus in non-college housing, they will not receive a housing allowance.
    3. All housing policies, including the policies associated with the college housing lottery, apply to Dorsey recipients. 
  2. The Dorsey Scholarship includes the Gold meal plan, which is the standard meal plan available on campus. If in any year a student chooses to select a smaller plan, such as Silver or Bronze, the cost of that plan will be included, but there is no refund of the difference in plan prices. If in any year a student chooses to live in housing with a kitchen, a meal plan will not be provided.
    1. If a student elects to select a more expensive meal plan option in any year, then the additional cost of the meal plan will be charged to the student’s account. If a student elects to select a meal plan while living in housing with a kitchen, then the additional cost of the meal plan will be charged to the student’s account.
    2. If a Dorsey student chooses to live in housing without a mandatory meal plan, they will not receive a food allowance. 
       

Terms of Enrollment

  1. The Dorsey Scholarship is for Fall and Spring semesters only.
    1.  The Dorsey Scholarship does not cover summer tuition, fees, room, or board. 
  2. January Term
    1. The Dorsey Scholarship does not cover January term courses with the exception of the required McDaniel Commitment January Term course “My Design”, offered between the fall and spring semesters of the first year. 

Book & Technology Stipend

  1. Book Allowance
    1. Dorsey scholarship recipients are eligible to receive up to $600 per semester for books purchased through the McDaniel College Bookstore. The student must notify the financial aid office prior to purchase to coordinate with the college bookstore. 
  2. Computer and Technology Allowance
    1. Dorsey scholarship recipient are eligible to receive up to $2000 in computer and technology equipment purchased through the McDaniel College Bookstore. This one-time request can be made at any point while enrolled in Dorsey Scholarship eligible courses (eight consecutive semesters or the completion of a bachelor’s degree). The student must notify the financial aid office prior to purchase to coordinate with the college bookstore. 

Study Abroad

  1. McDaniel Europe
    1. Tuition and room for one semester are included in the Dorsey Scholarship.
    2. Board is not included. However Dorsey scholarship recipients are eligible to receive a $1000 meal stipend per semester when studying abroad at McDaniel Europe. To receive the stipend in advance, the Dorsey scholarship recipient must notify the financial aid office in writing of their intent to travel abroad at least 30 days prior to travel. In partnership with the Bursar, the student’s stipend will be available for pick-up or mailed to the student’s permanent address one week prior to travel. Due to the winter break, students studying abroad in the spring semester should begin planning early to ensure their stipend is received prior to travel. It is the student’s responsibility to request the stipend in a timely manner. Stipends cannot be mailed internationally and will only be mailed to the student's permanent address.
    3. Dorsey scholarship recipients are eligible to receive a one-time $2000 travel stipend when studying abroad at McDaniel Europe. The stipend can be used for airfare or travel expenses while in Europe. To receive the stipend in advance, the Dorsey scholarship recipient must notify the financial aid office in writing of their intent to travel abroad at least 30 days prior to travel. In partnership with the Bursar, the student’s stipend will be available for pick-up or mailed to the student’s permanent address one week prior to travel. Due to the winter break, students studying abroad in the spring semester should begin planning early to ensure their stipend is received prior to travel. It is the student’s responsibility to request the stipend in a timely manner. Stipends cannot be mailed internationally and will only be mailed to the student's permanent address.
  2. Other Affiliated Exchange Programs
    1. Tuition is included in the Dorsey Scholarship
    2. No other costs are covered by the Dorsey Scholarship
  3. Non-Affiliated Study Aboard Programs
    1. No McDaniel College funds including the Dorsey Scholarship travel with a student in any non-affiliated study abroad program. 
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