Mayor's Scholarship Program Continues to Open Doors for Atlantic City Residents

For Atlantic City residents, the path to higher education and career training is more attainable thanks to the Mayor Marty Small, Sr. Scholarship.

During a special sendoff at Steel Pier, the 58 2026 recipients were recognized as they prepare to begin the next chapter of their educational journeys. Those recipients include graduating high school seniors heading to colleges and universities, as well as residents pursuing careers in the skilled trades, master's degrees, and doctoral programs. During the celebration, scholarship recipients received commemorative oversized checks and were recognized alongside their families before the start of the academic year.

While the evening celebrated individual achievement, it also highlighted Atlantic City's continued investment in its community.

Since its inception, the Mayor Marty Small, Sr. Scholarship has awarded more than $3.5 Million in scholarships to Atlantic City residents. Funded through the Addressing Educational Disparities category of the American Rescue Plan (ARP), the initiative has become one of the city's most impactful investments in education, helping remove financial barriers while creating opportunities for residents to pursue their goals.

The scholarship program has quickly become one of the many benefits of calling Atlantic City home.

Unlike many scholarship programs that focus solely on recent high school graduates, the Mayor Marty Small, Sr. Scholarship also supports residents pursuing trade certifications and advanced degrees, recognizing that workforce development comes in many forms. Whether recipients are preparing to become electricians, nurses, teachers, engineers, business owners, or earning graduate degrees, each scholarship represents an investment in skills that strengthen both individual families and the broader community.

The program is also another example of how Atlantic City has strategically utilized American Rescue Plan funding to create lasting benefits for residents. Rather than viewing ARP funding as a short-term resource, the city has directed millions of dollars toward initiatives that continue creating opportunities long after the funding has been awarded.

The Steel Pier celebration served as both a recognition of academic achievement and a reminder that the city's success is tied to the success of its residents. As the 58 recipients begin classes this fall, they join hundreds of Atlantic City residents who have benefited from the scholarship program over the past several years.

For families considering where to live, work, and build a future, programs like the Mayor Marty Small, Sr. Scholarship demonstrate that Atlantic City invests in the people who call the city home.

Photos by City of Atlantic City Photgrapher Edward Lea

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