Founded by James I. Burns in memory of his wife to provide post-secondary scholarships to students.

Jim hopes that this scholarship will benefit young people who can’t afford an education. His own education was curtailed due to the fact that he had to work on his family’s farm, and his family’s finances were limited. His wife, Dorothy, was a brilliant woman who did not have the opportunity to continue her education due to family circumstances – Jim believes that she would have thrived in college had she been given the chance.

Jim and Dorothy were married for 60 years when she passed away in 2008. She had a strong work ethic despite her lack of education and had a 28-year career as a government employee. Jim, a Marine veteran, met Dorothy in Frederick.
Although they made their home in Montgomery County, Jim relocated to Frederick late in life after Dorothy passed. The Frederick community has been good to him, and he wanted to give back to his adopted community by creating this scholarship fund that will benefit students for generations to come.