FOUNDATION NEWS
Strike Up the Band
Students Line Up for New Marching Band Scholarship
BY MEGAN KNOX '24
The announcement of a new scholarship for Frostburg State University marching band members was music to many students’ ears.
The Marching Bobcats Scholarship was established in 2024 by FSU alum and former marching band member Virginia “Gin” Armacost ’76. She felt that the creation of this scholarship would aid in student growth and encourage and commemorate student participation in the band.
Armacost double majored in math and geography at FSU. She later worked for the National Imagery and Mapping Agency as a cartographer and at the U.S. Department of Defense until her retirement in 2009. Armacost plans to donate $100 per month for each student who receives the Marching Bobcats Scholarship.
“The marching band provides an essential service to the University and athletic department,” said Peter Lewis, FSU marching band director. “We are at every home football game and perform in several parades around the state, serving as musical ambassadors for the University and the Music Department.”
According to Lewis, the students in the marching band work tirelessly to perform their very best each week, beginning the season with a band camp in the summer. “They all care deeply about the product of their show and how they present themselves in parades. Despite not having adequate funding for uniforms, sheet music, transportation or instruments, they all give everything they have because they are passionate about what they do.”
Lewis feels that these scholarships available to marching band students are an important part of the culture of the organization.
“Frostburg State University offers a high-quality education to students who come from many different socioeconomic backgrounds. And in my opinion, it's in the best interest of us all to support all our students' endeavors so that they cannot just survive but thrive.”
Recipients of the Marching Bobcats Scholarship must be enrolled full-time or part-time at FSU with an overall grade point average of 3.0. The recipient(s) must enroll/volunteer as a participant in FSU's marching band and will receive their award for the spring semester following their participation in the marching band fall season. Visit https://frostburg.academicworks.com for more information.
