Scholarships

The John J. Sailer Scholarship was established by family and friends in his honor after John's death in 2015. It provides a year's full tuition for a student to learn the creative and technical skills required in creation of scenic, costume and lighting elements for professional theatre productions. John's career included design for more than 100 productions at Mill Mountain Theatre and at other theatrical companies across America. The scholarship has been awarded annually since 2015.

Contributors can contact Suzanne Cresswell at 540-342-5761 or Suzanne@millmountain.org for details.

Walker Johnson (2025)

Kamryn Cox (2024)

Taylor Berenbaum (2022)

Eliza Rose Gregory (2021)

Kim Hoyle (2020)

Jacob Wadstrom (2019)

Henry Stevens (2018)

Mohini Riego de Dios (2017)

Layla Esch-Bickel (2016)

Tyler McPhearson (2016)

The John T. Avis MMT Conservatory Leadership Award has been given annually since 2018. One student is honored each year who demonstrates talents and initiatives for other students to follow in developing both theatre skills and career success. These include responsibility, dependability and teamwork. Being an effective mentor to other students is an important consideration. The award is named for Jack Avis, a Roanoke business leader who served MMT for 14 years as a board member and president and continues his support as a Director Emeritus.

Natalie Thorell (2025)

Ben Armstrong (2024)

James Moledor (2024)

Sylvia MacNab (2023)

Elise LeGault (2022)

Isaac Bouldin (2021)

Olivia Goodman (2020)

Caroline Moledor (2019)

Olivia Bloch (2018)

The Doug Patterson Scholarship was established in 2022 in memory of a veteran actor, employee and supporter of Mill Mountain Theatre. And, more significant, he was a mentor and friend of hundreds of professional theatre artists who worked with him over more than 20 years. The Doug Patterson scholarship provides tuition for a MMT conservatory class and is sustained by donations from those who admired Doug and cherish his memory. It is given annually to a student who aspires to Doug's excellence as an actor, especially in roles of comedy. He performed in more than 75 productions at MMT, most of them unforgettable.

DeMarion Williams (2025)

Alivia Brown (2024)

Ruby Spence (2023)

The Lizzie Turner Memorial Scholarship will award deserving students of theatre performance, lighting, sound, costume and set design at Mill Mountain Theatre, since participating in all aspects of Mill Mountain Theatre productions was truly the great joy of her life!

Kaitllin Jackson (2025)

Riley Parks (2024)