Darla Moore Scholarship established at FMU

Francis Marion University is excited to announce the creation of the Darla Moore Scholarship, made possible by the generosity of the Darla Moore Foundation.

The Darla Moore Scholarship will be funded by a $5 million gift — $1 million a year for the next five years — from the Darla Moore Foundation. Scholarships will cover tuition, room and board or school fees depending on the individual recipient’s needs each semester.

The first group of Darla Moore Scholars will enroll at FMU starting in fall 2022.

“FMU is delighted to receive this substantial gift from the Darla Moore Foundation.  These scholarships will support those who would not attend college otherwise, and they will fund tuition, fees, and housing – thereby giving these young men and women the opportunity to participate in the complete university experience. I’m deeply appreciative to Darla for this generous gift and for helping us to educate some of our neediest students,” said Dr. Fred Carter, President of Francis Marion.

Francis Marion University will begin accepting Darla Moore Scholarship nominations from high school counselors in January 2022. The scholarship will be available to incoming freshmen students who will be starting classes at Francis Marion in the fall of 2022. Only school counselors can recommend students for the scholarship, who will in turn contact the Office of Enrollment Management for final consideration. 

To be eligible to become a Darla Moore Scholar, students must be South Carolina residents, enrolling in full-time undergraduate studies, and demonstrate a financial need based on FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), with family income generally not exceeding $75,000. The scholarship is primarily, but not exclusively, geared toward students who will be the first in their family to attend college. 

Recipients of the Darla Moore Scholarship must maintain a minimum 2.7 GPA and are not required to live on campus.

Francis Marion University
Francis Marion University is a four-year public liberal arts institution established by the state of South Carolina in 1970, and is located near the City of Florence. FMU offers bachelor’s degrees in a wide range of liberal arts disciplines, as well as in the health sciences, education, engineering and business. The University also offers professional degrees at the baccalaureate, master’s, and specialist levels and a professional doctorate.

The Darla Moore Foundation
The Darla Moore Foundation was founded in 2010 by Lake City, SC philanthropist and financier Darla Moore, with the mission of enhancing the lives of the residents of South Carolina and the United States.