As part of their scholarship, Sumners Scholars are required to engage in community service. In addition to bi-monthly volunteering at the Tarrant Area Foodbank, this year, all Scholars became Volunteer Deputy Registrars for Tarrant County. As part of this role, they registered 25 new voters on University College Day at Ram Jam on April 20. While Scholars were only able to accept voter registration for Tarrant County residents, they distributed mail-in applications to those who lived in other Texas counties. 

Senior Scholar Steven Leach, who organized the registration drive, said, "At a time when the state legislation is increasing barriers to registration and voting in Texas, it is important to do everything we can to help students exercise their right to participate in the democratic process."    

The Sumners Scholars program not only provides generous scholarship funding to qualified students, but also seeks to promote civic responsiblity and leadership.  

The Sumners Scholarship not only provides a $5,500 scholarship each semester during a student's junior and senior years, but also offers students the opportunity to attend special conferences and activities and engage in community service. For more information about the Sumners Scholarship, visit txwes.edu/academics/sumners. For information about registering to vote in Texas, visit VoteTexas.gov.