Since our first year, MystiCon has held a scholarship auction, with all proceeds going directly to a high school senior or college freshman pursuing their education.

While the guaranteed award has traditionally been $500, the generosity of our attendees has always pushed that amount higher. In fact, the lowest award we have ever given was $1,700, entirely funded by the auction’s success.

This year, we are honored to announce a meaningful evolution of that tradition.

In loving memory of Terry Baucom, owner of B&D Comics, long-time supporter, and cherished member of our fandom family, the scholarship will now be known as The Baroness Award.

Terry’s creativity, kindness, and unwavering commitment to the local community made her a force of nature. Her presence shaped the Roanoke fan community for decades, and her loss is deeply felt.

With great gratitude, B&D Comic Shop will now sponsor The Baroness Award, raising the scholarship’s guaranteed base amount to $1,000.

We are proud to celebrate Terry’s legacy in a way that continues her spirit of generosity, imagination, and support for emerging voices.

The Baroness lives on in every student who dares to dream bigger because of her.

MystiCon will be offering one merit scholarship for original and creative works in creative writing, art, and/or media.

The scholarship is available to Virginia high school seniors graduating in the 2026–2027 school year or 2026–2027 college freshmen.

• No limit on entries per applicant. For each entry you wish to submit, please fill out the submission form.
• Entries must be science fiction, horror, or fantasy themed.
• Each entry may not exceed 3,000 words in length.
• Electronic submissions may be submitted as PDF, DOC, DOCX, or RTF files only.

• No limit on entries per applicant. For each entry you wish to submit, please fill out the submission form.
• Entries must be science fiction, horror, or fantasy themed.
• Electronic submissions may be submitted as MP3, WMA, MPG, or JPG files.
• Original artwork must be presented at the convention.
• Please limit file sizes to 10 MB. If this file size is too small, please include a link to the file in the additional information section.

• Entries must be submitted by December 31, 2026. We will not accept late entries.
• A panel of judges made up of professional artists, writers, and teachers chosen by the scholarship department will review each entry.
• The judges’ decisions are final.
• Plagiarized entries are subject to immediate disqualification. Don’t cheat!
• AI-assisted entries are not eligible and will be disqualified.
• Winners will be notified, and an announcement will be made at the convention.
• Winners must provide enrollment status.