Scholarships for African-American Students

William & Mary Diversity Scholarships

July 7, 2013

The Office of Financial Aid does not award scholarships. However, if you are receiving any financial aid from our office, you will first want to contact us directly with the amounts of your scholarships. Outside monies may affect your original financial aid award, so we would like to inform you of any changes as early as possible. You can expect to receive a revised award letter with any changes made to your award caused by outside scholarships.

These links are intended to be used as a resource to help you find additional funds for your education.

William & Mary Merit Scholarships

These scholarships are financial awards given to William and Mary students with proven scholastic ability. There are three merit scholarships offered by William and Mary; each is handled through the Admission Office.

  • William & Mary Scholars – The William & Mary Scholars Award is presented each year to a small group of academically distinguished students who have overcome unusual adversity and/or are members of underrepresented groups who would contribute to campus diversity.  Many will be the first members of their families to attend college.  All applicants are considered for the award and no separate application is needed. Awards are worth the amount of in-state tuition and fees and are renewable each year as long as the recipient remains in good academic standing at the College.
  • Monroe Scholars – The James Monroe Scholars Program is a designation offered each year to the top 10-15% of all admitted students to the College of William and Mary. All first-year applicants are considered for this program and no separate application is needed. Notification is sent from the Office of Undergraduate Admission in March. Monroe Scholars receive a $3000 research stipend to explore an academic area of their choice. Other benefits to this program include: special housing option during freshman year, special consideration in the appointment of freshman advisors, priority course registration and the invitation to take part in a series of additional seminars. If an enrolling William & Mary student is not offered the Monroe Scholar designation during the admission process, it is possible for the student to become a Monroe Scholar at the end of his or her freshman year. Rising sophomores who have done exceptionally well academically (typically a cumulative GPA of a 3.8) are invited to apply for seats in the Monroe Scholars Program through the Charles Center.
  • 1693 Scholars – The 1693 Scholars Program is William & Mary’s most selective scholarship. Finalists typically rank in the top 1% of their class, score a 1500 and higher on the SAT (Critical Reading plus Math) and take the most demanding curriculum available to them. While some of the variables that influence 1693 Scholar designations are quantitative, others are more subjective. These include students’ application essays, extracurricular involvements, leadership, letters of recommendation and evidence of intellectual engagement. In conjunction with the Office of Undergraduate Admission, faculty members will administer the selection process.

    All students who apply to William & Mary through Early Decision (Nov. 1 postmark deadline) or Regular Decision (Jan. 1 postmark deadline) will be reviewed for the 1693 Scholars Program.

    The 1693 Scholars Program will provide four students per year with extensive benefits, including full tuition, general fees and room and board annually for Virginia residents and the equivalent amount annually for non-Virginia residents.

 

Simon Scholars Program

June 30, 2013

 

Simon Scholars Program

The Simon Scholars Program, funded by the Simon Family Foundation is currently operating in California, New Mexico, Georgia, and Washington D.C. It is a 6-year scholarship program that begins during a student’s junior year in high school and continues throughout the student’s 4 years of college. The program requires students to maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA by the end of their junior year of high school. Students are provided with a cash stipend, a computer, social skills training, academic support, leadership training and community service activities. Students also receive college-preparatory assistance through ACT and SAT courses, college tours and assistance in the application process from college coaches. Upon graduating from high school and being accepted into college, students receive a $16,000 college scholarship ($4,000 per year).

While the Simon Scholars Program provides a much smaller scholarship amount than the Gates Millennium Scholars and Posse Foundation Scholars Programs, the Simon Scholars Program works with students over the course of their final two years of high school providing much needed assistance in helping students to qualify for a broad range of college scholarships and expands students’ college admissions options to highly selective colleges and universities with generous need-based financial aid policies. Increasing students college readiness and expanding students’ sources of financial aid provides further evidence of the research findings pertaining to students’ college success and campus involvement:

  • 86 percent of Simon Scholars who have started college are still enrolled or have graduated
  • 97 percent of Collegiate Simon Scholars are actively involved in campus life
  • 65 percent of Collegiate Simon Scholars are involved in community service on campus

I recently had the opportunity to speak to a group of Simon Scholars, both recent high school graduates and students currently attending college. Among the group of high school graduates were 3 Gates Millennium Scholars and many of the current college students were attending highly selective colleges and universities.

Click herefor information about current high schools participating in the program.

Ford Foundation Fellowships

June 11, 2013

Predoctoral fellowships will be awarded in a national competition administered by the National Research Council (NRC) on behalf of the Ford Foundation. The awards will be made to individuals who, in the judgment of the review panels, have demonstrated superior academic achievement, are committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level, show promise of future achievement as scholars and teachers, and are well prepared to use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students.

Click on the links below to learn more about each aspect of the Predoctoral Ford Foundation Fellowship

Predoctoral Eligibility

In addition to the general eligibility requirements, eligibility to apply for a predoctoral fellowship is limited to:

  • All citizens or nationals* of the United States regardless of race, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, or sexual orientation (must have become a U.S. citizen by November 14, 2012),
  • Individuals with evidence of superior academic achievement (such as grade point average, class rank, honors or other designations,
  • Individuals committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level,
  • Individuals enrolled in or planning to enroll in an eligible research-based program leading to a Ph.D. or Sc.D. degree at a U.S. educational institution, and
  • Individuals who have not earned a doctoral degree at any time, in any field.

*The term “national of the United States” designates a citizen of the United States or a native resident of a possession of the United States. It does not refer to a U.S. permanent resident who is a citizen of another country.

Criteria for Selection

The following will be considered as positive factors in choosing successful candidates:

  • Evidence of superior academic achievement
  • Degree of promise of continuing achievement as scholars and teachers
  • Capacity to respond in pedagogically productive ways to the learning needs of students from diverse backgrounds
  • Sustained personal engagement with communities that are underrepresented in the academy and an ability to bring this asset to learning, teaching, and scholarship at the college and university level
  • Likelihood of using the diversity of human experience as an educational resource in teaching and scholarship
  • Membership in one or more of the following groups whose underrepresentation in the American professoriate has been severe and longstanding:

Alaska Natives (Aleut, Eskimo or other Indigenous People of Alaska); Black/African-Americans; Mexican Americans/Chicanas/Chicanos; Native American Indians
Native Pacific Islanders (Hawaiian/Polynesian/Micronesian); Puerto Ricans

Eligible Fields of Study

Awards will be made for study in research-based Ph.D. or Sc.D. programs that include the following major disciplines and related interdisciplinary fields: American studies, anthropology, archaeology, art and theater history, astronomy, chemistry, communications, computer science, earth sciences, economics, engineering, ethnomusicology, geography, history, international relations, language, life sciences, linguistics, literature, mathematics, performance study, philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, religion, sociology, urban planning, and women’s studies. Also eligible are interdisciplinary ethnic studies programs, such as African American studies and Native American studies, and other interdisciplinary programs, such as area studies, peace studies, and social justice. The complete list of eligible fields of study supported at the predoctoral level of the fellowship program is available here: Predoctoral Fields (.pdf),

Individuals enrolled in the following practice-oriented programs will not be supported: business, management, administration, occupational health, nursing, consumer science, library and information science, speech pathology, audiology, personnel, guidance, social work, social welfare, public health, physical education, physical therapy, kinesiology, rehabilitation science, education, leadership, fine arts, filmmaking, and performing arts. In addition, awards will not be made for work leading to terminal master’s degrees, the Ed.D. degree, the degrees of Doctor of Fine Arts (D.F.A.) or Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.), or professional degrees in such areas as medicine, law, and public health, or for study in joint degree programs such as the M.D./Ph.D., J.D./Ph.D., and M.F.A./Ph.D.

Fellowship Institution

Fellowships are tenable at any fully accredited, nonprofit U.S. institution of higher education offering a Ph.D. or Sc.D. degree in the eligible fields of study. All arrangements for acceptance into a doctoral program at the chosen institution are the responsibility of the applicant. An applicant need not be accepted by the chosen institution at the time of application.

Previous Graduate Study

Predoctoral fellowships are intended for individuals who are currently enrolled or plan to enroll in an eligible Ph.D. or Sc.D. program by the fall 2013 term. The 2013 predoctoral fellowships competition is open to the following individuals:

  • Undergraduates in their senior year who plan to be enrolled in their Ph.D. or Sc.D. program beginning with the fall 2013 term,
  • Individuals who have completed undergraduate study,
  • Individuals who have completed some graduate study, and
  • Individuals currently enrolled in a Ph.D. or Sc.D. program who can provide evidence that they have at least three years remaining as of the fall 2013 term before they would receive their Ph.D. degree and at least one of the three years is comprised of full-time course work.

Stipends and Benefits

  • Annual stipend: $20,000
  • Award to the institution in lieu of tuition and fees: $2,000
  • Expenses paid to attend at least one Conference of Ford Fellows
  • Access to Ford Fellow Liaisons, a network of former Ford Fellows who have volunteered to provide mentoring and support to current fellows.

Graduate School Support for Underrepresented Students

June 11, 2013

The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management is committed to increasing the representation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans in American business schools and corporate management.

Our approach is simple:
We connect people, institutions and companies who have shown a commitment to our mission, and we position them for even greater success. Specifically, we foster a network of the country’s best students, leading MBA programs and corporate partners, including Fortune 500 companies.

The Consortium awards merit-based, full-tuition fellowships to top MBA candidates who have a proven record for promoting inclusion in school, in their jobs or in their personal lives.

Of the 10,000 MBA students who graduate every year from top-tier business schools, less than 6 percent are African American, Native American or Hispanic Americans. At The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, we believe the best way to increase the representation of these groups in American business and education is to celebrate and uplift those like you who have dedicated their lives to inclusion.

That’s why we’re proud to offer you the chance to apply for membership. If you have worked hard to promote diversity in your community or your workplace we invite you to apply to The Consortium as a starting point to achieving your career goals.

Through The Consortium’s common application, apply to up to six of the country’s leading MBA programs. This is a time- and money-saving tool that can give you an edge as you seek to begin the next stage of your career.

Thanks to our supporters, each year we award hundreds of merit-based, full-tuition fellowships to some of the country’s top MBA programs. Typically, we are able to offer these fellowships to 70 percent of those admitted.

Benefits go beyond fellowships. As a Consortium Fellow, you’ll have the chance to personally network with representatives from our 80 corporate partners at our Annual Orientation Program & Career Forum.

Many of our students leave this conference with early internship opportunities – opportunities that often lead to jobs after graduation.

 

National Black Nurses Association Scholarships

November 19, 2012

The National Black Nurses Association, Inc. offers various scholarships each year including:

  • Dr. Lauranne Sams Scholarship
  • NBNA Board of Directors Scholarship
  • Margaret Pemberton Scholarship
  • Rita E. Miller Scholarship
  • Maria Dudley Advanced Scholarship
  • Martha R. Dudley Scholarship
  • Martha A. Dawson Genesis Scholarship
  • Reverend Pauline L. Cole Scholarship
  • Sheila Haley Scholarship
  • United Health Foundation Scholarship
  • Esther Colliflower/VITAS Innovative Hospice Care Scholarship
  • Della Raney Nursing Scholarship
  • Lynne Edwards Research Scholarship
  • Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics Scholarship

These scholarships will range from $500-$2,000

 

ACS Scholars Program

November 7, 2012

Scholarships for African American, Hispanic, and American Indian Chemical Science Students

Celebrating 16 years!

ACS awards renewable scholarships to underrepresented minority students who want to enter the fields of chemistry or chemistry-related fields. Awards of up to $5,000* are given to qualified students. African American, Hispanic, or American Indian high school seniors or college freshman, sophomores, or juniors pursuing a college degree in the chemical sciences or chemical technology are eligible to apply.

*Number and amount of awards subject to individual financial need and available funding

How to Apply

About the ACS Scholars Program

Information for Current Recipients

Rules and Expectations

Eligibility and Selection Process

Program Sponsors

Woodrow Wilson-Rockefeller Brothers Fellowships

November 7, 2012

TOMORROW’S STUDENTS URGENTLY NEED TEACHERS OF COLOR

  • Nearly half of the nation’s students (44 percent) are students of color, but the latest data show that just one of every six teachers (16.7 percent) is a teacher of color.
  • Current trends indicate that, by 2020, the percentage of teachers of color will fall to an all-time low of 5 percent of the total teacher force, while the percentage of students of color in the system will likely exceed 50 percent.
  • In urban and rural schools nationwide, as many of half of all African-American, Latino, and Native American students do not graduate high school in four years.
  • As many as a third of students in the nation’s high-need schools have at least one or more teachers without even a minor in the subject she or he teaches.
  • Study after study shows that the single most effective way a school can improve students’ academic achievement is to consistently provide well-prepared, committed teachers.
  • Research also shows, overwhelmingly, that students of color perform better – academically, personally, and socially-when taught by teachers from their own ethnic groups.

About the Fellowship

The goal of the Woodrow Wilson-Rockefeller Brothers Fund Fellowships for Aspiring Teachers of Color is to help recruit, support, and retain individuals of color as K-12 public school teachers in the United States. Current trends indicate that by the year 2020, the percentage of teachers of color will fall to an all-time low of five percent of the total teacher force, while the percentage of students of color in the K-12 system will likely near 50%. This Fellowship offers an important opportunity to ensure that greater numbers of highly qualified teachers of color enter public school classrooms around the country.  Learn more…

2012 Fellows

Current & Alumni Fellows

Prospective Fellows

Policymakers & Potential Partners

Contact

Questions that are not answered in the information posted on this site can be directed by email to Ysabel Gonzalez at the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation.

 

National Association of Black Journalist Scholarships

July 2, 2012

Allison E. Fisher Scholarship – $2,500
Carole Simpson Scholarship – $ 2,500
Visual Task Force Scholarship up to $1,250
Larry Whiteside Scholarship – $2,500
NABJ Scholarship – $2,500

Application Requirements:

  • A one-page resume (Microsoft Word)
  • A 500-800 word essay describing your accomplishments as a journalist, your career goals, and your financial need for the scholarship. (Microsoft Word.)
  • Official college transcript (Scanned JPG or PDF)
  • Contact information of three references from professional journalists, professors, advisors who are familiar with your journalistic work. Letters are not required.
  • Five samples of your best work in any of the formats below. Make sure your work samples highlight your reporting, editing, and/or producing skills. Work sample submissions should be based on the individual scholarship (i.e., print, broadcast, online, etc.) Please see individual scholarship descriptions above. Required information and accepted formats include:
    • Print stories:Please upload your clips to Google Docs or any other third party sites and submit links to your work via the application form.
    • TV packages:Please upload videos to YouTube or Google Video and provide links to your work via the application form.
    • Radio packages:Please upload packages to mypodcast.com and submit links via the application form.
    • Photos Please upload JPEG photo selects to Flickr.com and create a “SET” titled “NABJ Scholarships” and provide a link to the SET via the application form. Or submit link to your online portfolio via the application form. (NOTE: Minimum of 20 images)
    • Slideshows:Please submit links to your work via the application form.
    • Web Sites: Please submit links to your work via the application form.
    • Flash animation: Please submit links to your work via the application form.

 

NAACP Scholarships

June 6, 2012

NAACP Scholarship Opportunities

Each year the NAACP, through generous donations, is able to provide scholarships to outstanding students. It is the duty of our dedicated Scholarship Committee to determine the most outstanding individuals to receive these awards. The NAACP does not provide financial aid to individuals, only scholarships through this process.

The process is entirely online through our partnership with UNCF.

Be prepare to apply by gathering the following materials:

  • copy of your NAACP membership card or membership application
  • official transcript
  • two letters of recommendation from teachers or professors in the major field of specialization
  • a one-page essay
  • your student aid report
  • evidence of acceptance or full-time enrollment