Gordon Hay Scholarship

The Gordon Hay Scholarship Fund is a merit-based scholarship established in memory of Gordon Hay, an organizational development professional, who was passionate about transformational change through authentic engagement of people’s hearts and minds in the strategic work of business. He believed passion and fire from within fueled exceptional results.

Each year the Gordon Hay Scholarship Committee will select up to two exceptional students to receive a one-time award in the amount of up to $10,000.

The application deadline is March 18, 2026.

The award is designed for special learning opportunities related to the recipient’s career interest in a non-performance area of theater. Examples include but are not limited to professional conferences, seminars, workshops, participation in an unpaid internship program, professional performances, or technology needs.

The award will be administered by the Education Department of Blumenthal Arts. To draw from the “award account,” the recipient must submit a simple but formal request for approval to Blumenthal’s Education Department. It is possible for a recipient to utilize the entire award amount within the first year of college or to occasionally draw from the account as opportunities arise within a four-year undergraduate career. If the total amount of the award is not used during the undergraduate experience, the award recipient will not be entitled to a cash settlement upon graduation. Any amount remaining in the award account will be forfeited.

Each year the Gordon Hay Scholarship Committee selects a high school senior or college underclassman to receive a unique scholarship of up to $10,000. The Gordon Hay Scholarship benefits a student within the Charlotte or Knoxville region who demonstrates technical or artistic accomplishment in a non-performance area of the performing arts. To be eligible, the student must be intent on pursuing a career in the performing arts.

For purposes of the scholarship, performing arts is broadly defined to include a range of disciplines which are performed in front of a live audience, including theatre, immersive arts experiences, music and dance. The range of non-performing disciplines eligible for the scholarship includes costume, lighting, sound and set design, stage management and direction, choreography and other technical non-performing roles. Students pursuing careers primarily in the education or film production fields are not eligible for the scholarship.

The award is designed to be used for special learning opportunities related to the recipient’s ambitions for a career in theater. Opportunities include but are not limited to professional conferences, seminars, workshops, participation in unpaid internship programs, technological equipment, books, supplies and professional performances. The award may not be utilized for tuition, class fees or college living expenses.

Allocation of the award will be administered by the Education Department of Blumenthal Arts. To draw from the award account, the recipient must submit a formal request for approval to Blumenthal’s Education Department. It is possible for a recipient to utilize the entire award amount within the first year of college or to occasionally draw from the account as opportunities arise within a four-year undergraduate career. If the total amount of the award is not used during the undergraduate experience, the award recipient will not be entitled to a cash settlement upon graduation.

The Gordon Hay Scholarship Committee will consider the following when selecting scholarship finalists:

• career potential in a non-performance path in theater as evidenced by a portfolio presentation and appropriate references
• academic performance
• evidence of the pursuit of personal excellence
• school and community engagement
• desire to enrich the lives of others through the performing arts
• financial need

Eligibility

• Student must be a graduating high school senior, college freshman, or college sophomore at the time of application.
• Student must be preparing to pursue or currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in a nonperformance discipline of theater (e.g. set/lighting/sound/costume design, stage management, choreography, direction, etc.).
• High school seniors must reside within 125 miles of Charlotte, NC or Knoxville, TN.