AV Scholars

The American Voices Scholars program began in 2008 as a community partnership with the Saint Louis University ESL program and the Saint Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra. For 12 academic years, American Voices’ scholarship students studied English while they prepared their university applications, played in the Saint Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra, and studied with private teachers in the Saint Louis area. The scholarship program was the brainchild of former Deputy Director Marc Thayer. Over the past 13 years, our Scholars have flourished and made American Voices donors and staff very proud.

From 2021, the American Voices Scholars Program will focus primarily on supporting alumni of our international programs who are enrolled in degree programs at some of the finest universities in the United States: Oberlin, Manhattan School of Music, Brooklyn College, and American University. We will also branch out and, as in the cases of Ali and Awjalan in the Darashakan refugee camp in Iraq, for the first time support outstanding students in their studies abroad with the goal of preparing them to successfully apply to study in the USA at the graduate level.

The work of supporting students from fragile nations and families with limited economic resources is complex and expensive. In addition to supporting their tuition and living expenses, American Voices is supporting needs such as computers and software, health insurance, medical expenses, and summer study at programs such as the Brevard Music Institute.

Of all the life-changing programs American Voices offers, this is perhaps our most significant. Help us bring life changing experiences and education to a growing list of young artists who benefit immeasurably from these opportunities.