Sweet Adelines International is proud to have impacted the lives of more than 75,000 singers through our competitive scholarship and education grants programming for young women.

Thanks to our generous donors, Sweet Adelines has awarded more than $1.1 million to preserve the barbershop art form by investing in and propelling its future!

Bev Sellers Memorial Scholarship — Apply Now!

Named in honor of the beloved former International Board President's contributions to this organization, the Bev Sellers Memorial Scholarship is awarded for one academic year in the amount of $5,000 USD.

Application Procedure and Requirements: Submissions are accepted by email to scholarships@sweetadelines.com no later than January 25, 2025. Submit one complete scholarship application packet in .PDF format. Ensure submission includes all required supplemental materials (sealed transcripts sent directly from your school are acceptable). Scholarship eligibility and requirements (including three signed letters of reference) are included in the scholarship application.

Music Education Grants

Music education grants are available to groups or organizations sponsoring or hosting barbershop education and performance opportunities for young women. Opportunities might include music festivals, education workshops or seminars, and/or other music education events.

Are you inspired to host an educational program or event for young singers? Grant Cycle 1 opens March 1, 2025. Stay tuned for detailed information and how to apply.

Congratulations to the 2024–2025 Grant Cycle 1 Recipients!

Five new grants and two final distributions from a previous cycle were distributed during Sweet Adelines International’s 2024 Grant Cycle 1, for a total of $12,322.00 USD. Here are the Grant Cycle 1 programs your generous donations are assisting:

Song of Atlanta Dive Into Vocal Artistry (D.I.V.A.) Day: At the beginning of 2025, the Song of Atlanta Show Chorus will introduce young treble vocalists and their educators to the intricacies of a cappella music. Tessa Walker and 2024 Region 14 Novice Quartet winner Something Casual, aim to cover not only the technical aspects of barbershop singing, but also the expressive performance of the art form.

Central Illinois Youth In Harmony Festival: Held in Bloomington, Illinois (USA), the Central Illinois Youth in Harmony Festival is the annual collaboration between Vermillion Valley Show Chorus (#3) and the Sound of Illinois Chorus (Barbershop Harmony Society). Over the past 25 years, the annual festival has grown from one school to more than twelve schools and serves over 250 students a year.

Harborlites Diva Day 2025: After this full-day event watching and learning from Harborlites Chorus and guest quartets, the young singers – “Divas” – will have the opportunity to perform in that evening's show. Under the leadership of Harborlites Director Pam Pieson, the event has had extreme success in furthering barbershop education over the past 19 years.

Metro Nashville Chorus Youth Working in Song & Harmony (YWISH) Event: Metro Nashville Chorus Master Director Kim Wonders and choreographer Natalie Allen will serve as clinicians for this year’s Youth Working in Song & Harmony event in November. With eight hours of instruction, young singers will have three performance-ready songs to sing at the end of the night with Metro Nashville Chorus.

OK City Chorus Youth in Harmony Workshop: For singers 25 and younger in Oklahoma and surrounding states, the Youth in Harmony Workshop will cover topics including vocal and physical warmups, sectional rehearsals, barbershop history, and more. After the completion of the event, the singers will return for a joint performance with the OK City Chorus and their 2024 Holiday Show in December.

Congratulations to the 2024 Bev Sellers Memorial Scholarship Recipient: Nicole Gray

Named in honor of the beloved former International Board President’s contributions to this organization, the Bev Sellers Memorial Scholarship is awarded for one academic year in the amount of $5,000 USD. At least one winner awarded per scholarship cycle. The 2024 (and 2022) Bev Sellers Memorial Scholarship recipient Nicole Gray (formerly Nicole Wilson) has been involved with Sweet Adelines since the age of 3 and is now a vocal music major.

Congratulations to the 2024 Director Scholarship Recipients!

Our small and mid-sized Sweet Adelines International choruses have big sounds, big hearts, and big impact. Their directors inspire, educate, and lead with dedication, on and off the stage. Thanks to donations from our members, these hard-working directors attended the 2024 Directors and Visual Leaders Seminar!

Grant Application Tutorial

Questions?
For more information on available grants and scholarships, or to make a gift in support of these education programs, please email grants@sweetadelines.com, scholarships@sweetadelines.com or call Sweet Adelines International Headquarters at 1.918.622.1444 (Toll Free 1.800.992.7464).