Drum Corps International awards more than $85,000 in scholarships

More than $85,000 in Drum Corps International scholarships went to performers on the 2026 tour, and the money was aimed at the real costs that decide whether a young marcher stays in the activity: corps tuition, college tuition, and music education bills.

DCI’s scholarship list reached across the field, not just one powerhouse or one section. Performers from Blue Stars, Santa Clara Vanguard, Bluecoats, Blue Knights, Spartans, The Academy, Boston Crusaders, Phantom Regiment, Seattle Cascades, Colts and other corps were included, which is what makes this announcement matter inside the drum corps world. It was not a vanity prize. It was support for the people already paying to rehearse, travel and perform at the highest level of the activity.

The biggest tuition help came through Friends of DCI, which awarded up to ten $2,500 scholarships to current Open Class or World Class corps members for corps tuition. DCI said the Friends of DCI program has existed for more than 30 years and has funded scholarships since 2007, with contributions from members helping remove financial barriers to tour fees and support academic success. That is the part newer members notice fast: the scholarship pool is built for the exact season when fuel, housing, travel and membership fees hit hardest.

Other awards pushed beyond the summer bill. The Richardson’s Scholarship offered two $3,000 awards for corps members pursuing a degree in music education. The Peth Scholarship offered two $3,000 awards for members pursuing any accredited higher education degree. The Stanley Lipinski Memorial Scholarship provided two $2,500 awards, and the Kevin Coleman Memorial Scholarship offered two $5,000 awards toward college tuition for music education majors. DCI also highlighted the Bones Family Cymbal Scholarship, created in 2013 by Brent and Michelle Bones and expanded in 2022 to include marching cymbal players in all DCI corps; the family has contributed more than $25,000 in tour-fee support and another $25,000 in electronics equipment through CorpsPower.

The scale is not a one-off. DCI made the same more-than-$85,000 pledge in 2024, and a previous recipient, Matthew Sarmiento, said he found the opportunities on the DCI website and applied for about six or seven scholarships. That is the roadmap in plain sight: find the scholarships, apply early and use every available grant to keep a summer in corps from becoming a one-and-done expense.