First Secular Humanist College Scholarship Established

The following article is from the Secular Humanist Bulletin, Volume 15, Number 2.

Long-time Council for Secular Humanism Supporter Herb Silverman has founded the nation's first secular humanist scholarship. The College of Charleston mathematics professor created the Silverman Secular Humanist Scholarship to recognize and encourage students who are secular humanists.

"Secular humanism encourages critical thinking, and an academic institution like the College of Charleston is a most appropriate place for young people to continue to develop that habit," said Silverman.

The Silverman Scholarship, personally funded by Dr. Silverman, is awarded on the basis of academic merit and financial need. Students must demonstrate an interest in ethics and morality based not on religion but rationalism and humanism. The winner is to be selected by a faculty committee and will have the scholarship renewed annually provided he or she maintains a 3.0 or better grade point average, full-time student status, and a secular humanist outlook.

Dr. Silverman has taught at the College of Charleston for 20 years. He recently became a CSH Life Associate Member. Free Inquiry readers may remember him for the long campaign he waged to become a notary public in Georgia without taking an oath on the Bible.

"I would certainly encourage other individuals or groups to make similar tax-deductible contributions to academic institutions," advises Dr. Silverman. "Most of our members appear to be past their child-rearing years. The future of secular humanism lies with our youth. Immortality, for us, is our good works that live long after we have disintegrated."

First Secular Humanist College Scholarship Established

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