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The Virginia Sheriffs’ Institute scholarship program is now accepting applications for the 2025-26 school year and will close on May 1, 2025.

In order to qualify, students must be pursuing a criminal justice major and plan to attend a college or university in Virginia. Those studying law or pursuing a law degree do not qualify. The scholarship is available in Suffolk and other jurisdictions where Sheriffs participated in scholarship fundraising efforts. 

Katie Jones, the community engagement coordinator for the Suffolk Sheriff’s Office, explained that the scholarship amount can change each year and that it depends on how much the VSI can allot to the scholarship fund.

Sheriff David Miles said each participating locality is able to award two scholarships to a part- and full-time student.

Miles said that while he isn’t involved in the awardee selection process, he does present the scholarship to Suffolk students and talk with them about their criminal justice aspirations.

Some students have come back to the Suffolk Sheriff’s Office to complete internships, which Miles said is “exciting to see the full circle moment of how these funds can help propel somebody forward to reach their goals.” 

Randolph Holland III received the VSI scholarship in 2022. He used the $2,500 mostly to purchase the required books for his core classes at Regent University in Virginia Beach. Now, he’s a police officer for the Norfolk International Airport. 

“I just appreciate the Suffolk Sheriff’s Office for sponsoring me and helping me out with that scholarship, and the Virginia Sheriff’s Institute for even implementing it,” he said.

Ashton Headrick was another scholarship recipient in 2019. She majored in criminal justice at Radford University and was awarded the scholarship all four years she attended, receiving a total of $4,000. 

She worked for a Sheriff’s Office in the Outer Banks for a year before getting a county job in Dare County, North Carolina. 

As a first generation college student and studying a male-dominated field, Headrick said, “It felt amazing” to receive the scholarship and to be able to represent her community.

“It just felt good to have that support, knowing that they felt confident in me, not only one year, but all four years,” Headrick said. “The scholarship encouraged me to go further in my degree, and really, you know, take advantage of what I had been given.”

With no Suffolk recipients since 2022, Jones and Miles are both hopeful there will be one this year.    

“I know the importance of education, and I know how much of a help it is to someone who already has a certain skill set, and treat that education piece to help them to move forward,” Miles said. “So this is just another avenue to help give back, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to be in the middle.”