Nine bright young scholars earned $11,500 to put towards the cost of college through a scholarship program promoting the sound money cause.
The Sound Money Scholarship is an annual essay contest organized by Money Metals Exchange (the U.S. precious-metals dealer ranked “Best Overall”) and the Sound Money Defense League, a national public policy group at the forefront of sound money legislative battles across the country since 2014.
More than 200 students across four continents, a dozen countries, and 35 U.S. states competed for this year’s scholarship funds, submitting essays addressing the problems of the Federal Reserve System, how a sound money monetary system could be restored, Central Bank Digital Currencies, and how a BRICS-currency might affect the value of the Federal Reserve Note.
Money Metals originally set aside 100 ounces of physical gold to reward over time those exemplary students who display a thorough understanding of economics, monetary policy, and sound money.
Scholarships have been funded via this rapidly appreciating asset base, with gold having more than doubled in nominal value since Money Metals established the fund in 2016.
“Money Metals is not just about buying and selling precious metals; we're committed to education and advocacy of the underlying sound money principles. Through our scholarship program, we're extending our support to students who share our belief in the importance of economic freedom and a stable currency,” said Stefan Gleason, Chief Executive Officer of Money Metals Exchange.
“In addition to our precious metals depository storage solutions, innovative gold loan program, and active sound money public policy efforts, we are proud to provide students the opportunity to offset the ever-increasing costs of furthering their education,” concluded Gleason.
The following are 2024’s high school / undergraduate winners:
- First place ($2,500): Tyler Lister, University of Central Arkansas
- Second place ($2,000): Owen Holzbach, Ball State University
- Third place ($1,500): Elizabeth Myers, University of Florida
- Fourth place ($1,000): Caleb Dunn, Long Beach City College
- Fifth place ($500): Gavin Xavier Chua, Guy M. Sconzo Early College High School
- Sixth place ($500): Liam Phillips, West Sayville Christian School
The following are 2024’s graduate winners:
- First place ($2,000): Vibhu Vikramaditya, Gokhale Institute of Economics and Politics
- Second place ($1,000): Benjamin Seevers, West Virginia University
- Third place ($500): Patrick Frise, North Dakota School of Law
The following blue-ribbon panel of judges assisted Money Metals and the Sound Money Defense League in selected the finalists:
- Dr. Jerry Kirkpatrick, Cal Poly Pomona
- Eric Brakey, Free State Project
- Ken Silva, Headline USA
- Lawrence W. Reed, Foundation for Economic Education
Since its creation in 2016, the Sound Money Scholarship program has attracted almost 1,000 applicants representing more than 300 different high schools, colleges, institutes, and universities across more than 40 states, 7 countries, and 4 continents.
"Each year we receive even more entries for the Sound Money Scholarship. Today’s students seem to know the Federal Reserve’s policy of intentional monetary devaluation jeopardizes their future,” said Jp Cortez, executive director of the Sound Money Defense League.
The deadline for applications for the 2025 Sound Money Fellowship – a separate program -- is December 31, 2024. Visit www.moneymetals.com/fellowship for more information.
And the deadline to submit scholarship applications for consideration next year is October 31, 2025. For more information, visit moneymetals.com/scholarship or email [email protected].
Jp Cortez is the Executive Director for the Sound Money Defense League, a non-partisan, national public policy group working to restore sound money at the state and federal level, and lead author of the Sound Money Index.
