Brewington Hardaway receives Samford Fellow!
Brewington Hardaway was one of nine recipients of the Samford Fellowship, awarded to players of tremendous promise. Most of the players are well-known in scholastic circles, having earned All-American honors. Hardaway, who earned his Grandmaster title early this year, is the first African-American to receive the Samford award.
In its inception in 1987, the fellowship was initially awarded to promising players who were desirous of becoming a Grandmaster. The rules gradually changed to include Grandmasters who wanted to pursue chess on an international level. Originally, the award was only for one person, but in 2018, the fellowship was awarded to multiple players for the first time. In addition, players can receive the award more than once.
Here are this year’s winners:
- 2025 Abhimanyu Mishra (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
- 2025 Andy Woodward (2024)
- 2025 Andrew Hong (2024)
- 2025 Brewington Hardaway
- 2025 Dimitar Mardov
- 2025 Carissa Yip (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
- 2025 Alice Lee (2022, 2023, 2024)
- 2025 Zoey Tang
- 2025 Megan Paragua
The total value of the Fellowships has been increased several times over the years and is now $70,000 annually. Mishra will receive $15,000; Yip, $12,000; Woodward, $10,000; Hong, $8,000, and Hardaway, Lee, Mardov, Paragua, and Tang $5,000 each. Fellows are eligible to receive up to a maximum of $84,000 in total support. The winners’ terms began June 1, 2025.
Brewington also received a $20,000 fellowship from the Maurice Ashley Chess Fellows program. Hardaway’s recent awards are notable for a couple of reasons. A student at Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School, he is the first player with African ancestry to receive the Samford Fellowship in its entire history.
Recently had a solid 6.5/9 result at the World Open, where he was one of only 19 Grandmasters at America’s marquee event. This tournament used to attract elite players and would provide opportunities for America’s top juniors to test their skills.
Top-100 players and delegations are no longer coming to Philadelphia, so it seems that the World Open has become a stepping stone for top American talent to explore the international circuit. These fellowships will go a long way in helping him to travel overseas and play in stronger events.
Congratulations!