Thank you for your interest in our scholarship program.

The application period is now closed for the 2025 season.

The Rhody Surf Scholarship Program is now accepting applicants for the inaugural year of the surf company’s academic grant program.

In the spirit of the local company’s roots that was founded in Newport, RI by Bobby Drought in 2011, the essay entries will be based on a reflection of how the ocean has positively effected one’s life. Rhody Surf was built on this theme. While attending Salve Regina University, Bobby reflected on his passion of surfing and the ocean, and created a business plan as part of a MBA course for what would become Rhody Surf. There’s more details on Rhody Surf’s SRU connection here.

Through establishing unique, beginner-friendly surf instructional programs for visitors and locals, the goal of the company is to spread a passionate love of surfing and to introduce the sport of wave-riding to anyone willing to try. Protecting the ocean by introducing surfing as a gateway for others to make a connection to its impact is part of Rhody Surf’s core mission. The ocean is not only important to our beachside company, but to all Rhode Island residents and the state’s blue economy overall.

Every Rhode Islander has grown up with the ocean in their own way and has personal stories to share on how it has impacted their lives. For the Rhody Surf Scholarship Program, we welcome all high school seniors on Aquidneck Island to share their story on how the ocean has positively affected their lives within the application form below.

We will award a $500 scholarship to one student from the pool of competitive applicants. All entries are due by March 31, 2025. Please complete all of the following fields below to be considered for the scholarship. We will notify the winner once the review process has been completed.

Rhody Surf Scholarship Eligibility Criteria:

Must currently be a Senior in high school
Must be applying to colleges for Fall 2025
Must complete the application form below
Must upload required attachments (transcript, resume, recommendation letter)
Must be enrolled at an Aquidneck Island high school (or) must be an Aquidneck Island resident

For any questions throughout your Rhody Surf Scholarship Program application process, please contact us here.

Rhody Surf Scholarship Form

Applicants must complete all fields in the form below.

Name

First Name

Last Name

Phone

(###)

###

####

Address

Address 1

Address 2

City

State/Province

Zip/Postal Code

Country

High School

What colleges are you applying to?

How do you plan to fund your education?

Career Goals

Please include a description of your career goals and your intended major (if determined).

Essay

Please describe how the ocean has positively impacted your life? (400 words or less)