In the labyrinth of secret societies across human history, one stands out for its mysterious traditions and shadowy rites of passage. This group is so cloaked in secrecy that we are hesitant to speak its name, because the first rule of Eagle Scouts is “You do not talk about Eagle Scouts.” Wait… whoopsies!
We made that up, of course, but it is true that Eagle Scouts live by a creed, just as Hampden-Sydney guys do. From a young age, scouts are taught to keep themselves “physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight,” and to “help other people at all times.” With this sort of preparation, Hampden-Sydney seems like the natural next step for a guy who’s achieved scouting’s highest honor.
It’s also no surprise that many Eagle Scouts are attracted to a college Field & Stream calls “a hidden gem for outdoorsmen.” But if our 1,300 acres aren’t enough of an enticement, we’ve got something special to sweeten the deal: We offer a $20,000 scholarship per academic year for Eagle Scouts who join our ranks, for a total of $80,000 over four years.
And many have taken us up on this challenge: In fact, a highly unscientific survey shows that we boast the highest percentage of Eagle Scouts of any college in the country—north of 10 percent of our student body. So if you’re a scout, check us out. (And the rest of you, burn after reading!)