The Martha’s Vineyard Community Foundation announced the establishment of the Dr. James H. Weiss Scholarship Fund this week.
The new scholarship honors the Island’s former school superintendent who died in August 2025. Mr. Weiss designated $180,000 to support Island students in pursuing their post high-school educational goals, the community foundation wrote in a press release.
Mr. Weiss served as superintendent of the Martha’s Vineyard Public Schools for a decade. The Weiss Scholarship Fund will support Island students with financial need who are enrolled in accredited nonprofit two-year, four-year or graduate programs, with priority given to those pursuing degrees in education.
Thanks to early donations from three of Mr. Weiss’s close friends, the Weiss Fund will award $10,000 in 2026, the community foundation wrote.
“Jim was one of our best friends: we traveled the world together and had regular Sunday night dinners. Getting the Weiss Scholarship Fund launched quickly was important to us,” Susan Silk said in the release.
For more information, contact Martha’s Vineyard Community Foundation program manager Elizabeth Bennett at elizabethbennett@marthasvineyardcf.org or 508-338-4665.
This article appears in March 27, 2026.