The Sage Scholarship aims to uplift and support rising and current college students who are from marginalized or economically disadvantaged communities and backgrounds. Our goal is to reach students who are interested in a career in communications, graphic design, journalism, marketing, and/or public relations.  

In Spring 2026, and in partnership with Leadership Greater Washington, Sage will provide two scholarship awards of $1,500 each to help one rising college student and one current college student offset their college expenses.  

With this being our third year supporting young, rising professionals, we recognize the importance of ongoing reflection and improvement; especially in times of social, political and economic uncertainty. We are resolute in our dedication to building a well-rounded and inclusive communications industry where all voices are heard and valued. We’re excited to help bridge the gap.  

Scholarship Eligibility Criteria

Eligible applicants must be:

• A local (Virginia, Maryland, DC) graduating high school senior who plans to enroll at an accredited, four-year college or university after graduation.
• A current undergraduate student at an accredited, local four-year college or university (Virginia, Maryland or DC) with preference to a first-generation student.
• Interested in pursuing a career in communications, graphic design, journalism, marketing, public relations or related field.
• A member of an economically disadvantaged or historically marginalized community.  
• A student with a minimum overall 3.00 GPA.
• Available to attend formal presentation of scholarship at Leadership Greater Washington’s 2026 Annual Meeting on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.  

Application Instructions

Interested students should:

1. Submit an essay for each of the following two prompts (max 300 words per prompt). Applicants must respond to each prompt in their own words. We are looking for authentic stories and perspectives, with specific and unique examples driven from personal experience. Please also exclude your name from the essays: 
   1. Discuss a time when you demonstrated leadership to support your community. What impact did it have on your community and what does your community mean to you? 
   2. Communications and media are powerful tools. They can shape perceptions and change culture. How have communications and media shaped you and/or your community?  
2. Submit a copy of your academic transcript with an unweighted GPA (4.0 scale).
3. Optional: Submit a short, bulleted list of your academic/extracurricular activities. This shouldn’t be longer than 1 page. 

Apply

Deadline Information

The application will open on March 5, 2026, and close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on April 15, 2026.

Notification and Award Presentation

The scholarship recipient will be notified by early June 2026. The scholarship will be formally presented at Leadership Greater Washington’s 2026 Annual Meeting on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. Recipients are required to attend the Annual Meeting as part of accepting the scholarship.