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Background

James Henry Smith, a lifelong resident of the North Highlands neighborhood of Columbus, was forced to quit high school to provide for his family upon the death of his father. He served his country in World War I, served his community as a fireman, and provided care to his mother until her death. Late in life, Henry married Gladys Manning Fails, a longtime employee of Swift Manufacturing and Bibb Mill in Columbus.

Neither Henry nor Gladys Smith was able to afford college. They created the James Henry Smith and Gladys Manning Smith Scholarship Fund in their estate plan to ensure that young people in the Columbus area are able to afford the education they could not. Thanks to the Smiths’ generosity and their strong belief in the power of education, generations of students in the Columbus area who might not otherwise be able to go to college will now be able to do so.

Overview

The James Henry Smith & Gladys Manning Smith Scholarship:

• Is intended to help students with financial need, high character, and average and above scholastic merit achieve a college education.
• Will be paid to the two- or four-year accredited college or university of the student's choice.
• Can be used to cover the cost of tuition, fees, housing, books, and other reasonable costs associated with obtaining a full and rewarding college education.
  • Note: For most students, a scholarship grant used for tuition, fees, books, supplies, and essential equipment is usually not taxable. Scholarship funds used for room and board, stipends, and other purposes may be taxable. Scholarship recipients should consult a tax professional with questions about the tax implications of their scholarship grant.
• Will pay a per-semester amount which is determined annually by the endowed spending policy of the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley, Inc. – approximately $3,500 - $4,000 per semester.
• Is renewable and will be awarded for up to eight semesters based on:
  • Continuous full-time enrollment (typically 12 or more earned credit hours) during each fall and spring semester the student receives the scholarship.
  • Maintenance of a 2.0 cumulative GPA.

One Smith Scholar will be selected in 2026. Ideally, the successful applicant will share the same high character as that exemplified by the Smiths’ selfless dedication to the needs of others through their lives and their establishment of the Scholarship. The selection committee would expect the Smith Scholar to demonstrate that character through service to their school, community, religious organization, and/or job.

Eligibility & Application Process

To be eligible for the Smith Scholarship, an applicant must:

• Be a graduating high school senior.
• Have a cumulative weighted GPA of 2.0 and above.
• Plan to enter college as a first-year student in the fall of 2026.
• Hold primary residence in Muscogee County, Georgia.
• Be a U.S. citizen at the time of their application.
• Not be an immediate family member of any employee or board member of the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley, Inc.
• Complete and submit as instructed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid Form (FAFSA), and submit in their application a copy of the page of the resulting Submission Summary showing the Student Aid Index (SAI). Financial information will be held in strictest confidence.
• Complete a personal interview with the Smith Scholarship Committee if selected as a finalist.

Criteria

Applications are reviewed by a committee appointed by Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley (CFCV) and include members who are not CFCV staff. The committee will consider applicants who demonstrate:

• Financial need.
• High character as demonstrated through service to their school, community, religious organization, and/or job.
• Average and above scholastic merit.

Timeline

• Completed Application Due: Friday, March 13, 2026, 5 p.m. EST
• Notification of Finalist Status: late April / early May 2026
• Inquiries about the application should be made by the student applicant via email at scholarships@cfcv.com.

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