VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST

Land Development and Scholarship Expansion, the Future of the VST

The Virginia Smith Trust (VST) is an endowment established from the will of Virginia Smith, a Merced native who declared that the land, which supported her family for more than a century, be used to generate scholarships for “worthy, deserving and needy students” of Merced.

The VST and land associated with it, played a vital role in the University of California Regents selecting Merced as the home of the tenth UC campus and has generated nearly $6 million scholarships for students since its inception in 1975.

The 2021-22 school year saw the largest growth in scholarships to date, with 83 awarded scholarships, 17 of which included honors scholarships valued at $20,000 over four years, and 197 grants valued at $500 to high school seniors who qualify for a four-year college. Between both awards the VST committed $590,000 to Merced students, with plans to expand scholarship eligibility to all students in Merced County.

The project to further develop VST land, and establish a University Community, continues to move forward. The development will generate more revenue for scholarships and create housing for all income levels as well as property for future schools, parks and public safety institutions.

2021-22 SCHOOL YEAR

$590K AWARDED

GRANTS 197

SCHOLARSHIPS 83