The Mystery of the Unknown Donor Scholarship at the University of Virginia

Students receiving scholarship awards



Scholarships provide a valuable opportunity for students to pursue higher education, regardless of their financial background. 

While many scholarships are funded by well-known donors, some scholarships have a mysterious origin. 

One such example is the "Unknown Donor" scholarship at the University of Virginia, which has puzzled the university and its students for years. 

Students receiving scholarship awards



In 2014, the University of Virginia received a generous donation of $100,000 to fund a new scholarship for low-income students. 

The donor requested to remain anonymous and only identified themselves as "Unknown Donor". 

The scholarship was awarded to several students over the years, but the mystery of the donor's identity remained unsolved. 


The University of Virginia tried to identify the donor through various means, including forensic analysis of the check and tracing of the donation process, but all efforts led to dead ends. 

The scholarship committee had no choice but to award the scholarship to deserving students while the mystery of the "Unknown Donor" persisted. 


In 2021, the University of Virginia announced that the mystery of the "Unknown Donor" had finally been solved. 

The donor had come forward and revealed themselves to be an anonymous alumna who wished to give back to the university in a meaningful way. 

The university honored the donor's wish for privacy but expressed their gratitude for the generous gift and the impact it had on the students who received the scholarship. 


The "Unknown Donor" scholarship has had a profound impact on the University of Virginia community, both for the students who received the scholarship and for the university itself. 

The scholarship provided an opportunity for low-income students to pursue their academic goals and opened doors that may have otherwise been closed to them. 

The mystery surrounding the scholarship sparked intrigue and curiosity among students and faculty, and the resolution of the mystery was a source of relief and gratitude. 


The "Unknown Donor" scholarship at the University of Virginia remains a fascinating and inspiring story of generosity and mystery. 

The scholarship serves as a reminder of the importance of supporting higher education and the transformative power of scholarships. 

The resolution of the mystery provides closure to a long-standing question and highlights the impact that a single act of kindness can have on the lives of many.