The next time you find yourself explaining what DAR is to a friend, family member, or prospective member, don’t forget to mention the National Society’s educational mission. By anyone’s definition, NSDAR’s commitment to supporting high school, university, and postgraduate students is impressive, totaling $1.5 million in scholarships awarded annually at the chapter, state, and national levels.

At the national level, the DAR Scholarship Committee, led by National Chair Paula Stolebarger, a Colorado Daughter, is continuing to build the NSDAR legacy in this area.

In the 2027 application cycle, NSDAR will introduce three new scholarships endowed by Nevada Daughter Laura Miceli and her husband David:

• The David and Laura Miceli Business Scholarship is for high school seniors and undergraduates pursuing degrees in a business major.
• The David and Laura Miceli Nevada Scholarship is for graduating high school seniors from Nevada, with a preference for students from Washoe County.
• Similarly, the David and Laura Miceli Tennessee Scholarship is for graduating high school seniors from Tennessee, with a preference for students from Van Buren and White counties.

Two $5,000 scholarships will be awarded through each program. The scholarships are nonrenewable, though students may reapply for these scholarships. Recipients must maintain a 3.25 GPA and be enrolled in an accredited U.S. college or university.

In a DAR first, however, there’s another twist with the Miceli scholarships: a 40-hour community service requirement. “I think that matches up nicely with DAR,” Stolebarger said. “As far as I'm aware, these are the first scholarships that have really zeroed in on that community service piece.”

How You Can Get Involved

In 2026, the DAR awarded over $450,000 in national scholarships, relying on the work of 454 volunteer judges (some DAR members, some not) to evaluate hundreds of worthy applications.

One of the best ways any DAR member can support the scholarship program is to help get the word out. Stolebarger encourages every DAR member to familiarize herself with the annual application cycle (November 1–January 31) and how students can apply.

“The first thing is actually learning about the scholarships ourselves as a member,” Stolebarger says. “For our chapter and state chairs, there’s sharing the flyer on DAR scholarships, whether that’s in their state newsletter or in their chapter newsletter or on social media. Or, sharing that information and referring people to DAR Academic Works, which is the online application portal, or to our public website for scholarships.”

Remembering the application deadline is key, Stolebarger says. “I can't tell you how many people I've had say to me after the deadline, ‘You know what? You were talking about those scholarships, and I realized, oh, my neighbor's daughter is going to become a teacher. I should have had her apply.’”

Understanding the breadth of scholarships available is also important. DAR has scholarships for a wide range of academic majors and career paths—and sometimes the challenge is connecting the right student. One of Stolebarger’s goals for the Storage Administration is to award the first Robert Huntler Swadley Horticulture Scholarship, which has not received any qualified applicants in its six years of existence. (Do you know a graduating high school senior from California with a minimum 3.0 GPA who is planning to major in horticulture? Send that student this information!)

For those Daughters and chapters wishing to support the DAR scholarships financially, Stolebarger recommends supporting the Friends of DAR Scholarships Fund. Contributions of $200 or more qualify the donor to purchase the Friends of DAR Scholarships pin available from the DAR Insignia Store. The Best Friend pin and bars are available upon subsequent donations.

Learn more about the DAR Scholarship Committee on the DAR Members’ Website. P