Young Woman Leadership Scholarship

Thank you to all the incredible students who applied for our 2026 Young Woman Leadership Scholarship. 

The Young Woman Leadership Scholarship is an annual scholarship program that will award $2,000 in 2026 to a Maryland graduating senior who has performed outstanding leadership during her high school years. Additional scholarships may be awarded as funds allow. Recipient(s) will be honored at the League’s Annual Meeting in May 2026.

The JLB is an organization of women whose Mission is to advance women’s leadership for meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration, and training. By publicly recognizing and rewarding the efforts of young women leaders, we hope to encourage others to become committed to exceptional civic leadership.

To be considered for this scholarship, applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • Has an outstanding leadership and volunteer record and shows the promise of continued success;
  • Resides in Maryland and attends a Maryland public, charter, private or parochial high school in one of the following counties: Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Howard County, Anne Arundel County, Carroll County, or Harford County; 
  • Is a female graduating senior with plans to matriculate to an accredited, two- or four-year, post-secondary institution in Fall 2025. Applicants must provide verification of college enrollment. Funds will be paid directly to the college or university in which the student enrolls, in the student’s name; and
  • Is not a current member or immediate relative of a current member of the Junior League of Baltimore. 

Priority consideration will be given to first-generation college students, meaning a student whose parents/guardians did not complete a four-year college degree.

For any questions, contact jlbhq@jlbalt.org

Visit this page to make a gift to the Scholarship Fund.

Spotlight on our 2026 Young Woman Leadership Scholarship award winner!

$2,000 Young Woman Leadership Scholarship – Nara Anusonti-Inthra

The Junior League of Baltimore has presented its 2026 Young Woman Leadership Scholarship to Nara Anusonti-Inthra. She is graduating senior at the Science and Mathematics Academy at Aberdeen High School and will attend Carnegie Mellon University to study electrical and computer engineering. Passionate about combining technology, environmental science, and community engagement, she has led numerous conservation and citizen science initiatives throughout Maryland. Nara serves as Youth Coordinator and trip leader for the Harford Bird Club, where she created family-friendly birding programs that expanded youth involvement in local conservation efforts. At the Anita C. Leight Estuary Center, she leads the analytical team for a marsh plant phenology project studying the effects of climate change on native marsh plants. She developed data collection procedures, trained volunteers, and created Python programs to analyze long-term environmental data. She also developed an AI-assisted plankton monitoring system using a microscope to automatically scan, identify, and analyze microscopic aquatic organisms for conservation.

In addition to her environmental work, Nara conducts research with Johns Hopkins University at Hopkins Extreme Materials Institute (HEMI), where she studies high-pressure laser shock compression experiments and has presented her research at a national scientific conference. Beyond science, she teaches beginning piano at Bel Air Music Studio and leads several school organizations, including Women in STEM, Envirothon, and the National English Honor Society.

Congratulations, Nara!