Church helps students strike gold on scholarship search

May 28, 2014

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

By Eric Stirgus – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The $3,000 their church raised for the college scholarships was nice, but Mychal and Nina Wynn thought it could do more.

In 2007, the couple approached Turner Chapel AME Church senior pastor, the Rev. Kenneth Marcus, with the idea of a ministry to help students search for other scholarships and, just as importantly, provide them with the skills to get those scholarships.

Some of the 2014 graduates who attend Turner Chapel AME Church stand at the altar during the service Sunday.

On Sunday the church, in Marietta, held a service for 50 church members who have been awarded scholarships. The offers totaled $4.3 million.

Some students, like Brittany White, have earned full scholarships. White earned a Gates Millennium scholarship, which pays the entire tuition to any school the recipient attends. White’s choice was Spelman College.

“It feels really great knowing they want me to succeed as much as I want to succeed,” said White, 18.

Most of the students attend high schools in Cobb and Marietta, but some have graduated from schools in Cherokee, Fulton, Gwinnett, Paulding counties and Atlanta.

Community organizations and houses of worship across Georgia are getting more involved in helping aspiring college students find scholarships. Few, though, are as involved or successful as Turner Chapel AME, observers say.

Dr. Emily Lembeck, superintendent of Marietta City Schools, said, “I always enjoy attending this special service at Turner Chapel, where the number of graduates recognized continues to grow each year. This year MHS had a record number of graduates earning the largest amount of scholarship funds ever and I appreciate the contribution to this success that stems from the support some of our students received from the Education Ministry.”

At Turner Chapel AME, the Wynns, youth pastor Rev. Don Ezell and others worked with student members to find scholarships that fit their academic interests. They also helped with resume and essay writing, tutoring and preparing for the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test. The church also holds a college fair each October. Last year, about 50 colleges came, said Mychal Wynn.

Reginald Lyon, president of the Duke Black Alumni Connection, which has about 1,500 members nationwide, attended the fair and was astounded by the preparedness of the students and workshops the church had on financial aid, college interviews and other topics.

“This was the most impressive setup I’ve seen at a historically black church,” said Lyon, who lives in Dallas, Texas. The church began in the mid 19th century. It has about 6,000 members.

Like Jesus urging his disciples to follow him and vowing to make them fishers of men, the Wynns have travelled to other churches to share what they are doing at Turner Chapel AME, with the inspirational message that they can do it too.

“We have created a scholarly culture and a culture of service,” said Mychal Wynn. That culture of service includes requiring church members in college to return on their breaks to help other students, or to mentor other Turner Chapel AME students once they arrive on campus. Many students are the first in their family to attend college and were unaware many of these scholarships exist. Some students say their guidance counselors, swamped with the hundreds of students seeking their attention, don’t always have time to help.

Linette Andrea, whose daughter, Jordan Fessehaie, 17, will attend Boston University this fall, echoes the thoughts of many parents. A blessing, mom called it.

“Jordan had a clear vision of her goals since the tenth grade and working with the Wynns allowed both of us to be more focused and acquire information that was not at school or in the community,” Andrea said.

For Kyla Baron, 17, the long hours of prep work in the ministry have resulted in a full scholarship from Xavier University in New Orleans, where she wants to study biology. Baron, who graduated from Kennesaw Mountain High School, said she’s received other scholarships that will help her pay for books, her dorm room and transportation to school “so my parents don’t have to pay for that.”

Click here to listen to student testimonials from their participation in the church’s 2014 College Planning Cohort:

 

Students Earn $4.3 Million Scholarships

May 11, 2014

CHURCH STUDENTS EARN $4.3 MILLION IN COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS

The Turner Chapel AME Church, under the leadership of Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Kenneth Marcus, and Youth Pastor Rev. Don Ezell, has a model the White House should be paying attention to. Through the college planning support offered through the church’s Education Ministry, their 2014 class of 48 graduating high school seniors has been offered over $4.3 million in scholarships and financial aid from over 125 colleges and universities—including such highly selective colleges as Cornell, Columbia, Spelman, Morehouse, Xavier University (LA), Pomona College, Williams College, Wake Forest, University of Southern California, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, Boston University, and Syracuse University. 24 of the graduating students who participated in the church’s 2014 College Planning Cohort accounted for $3.4 million of the total.

The scholarships and financial aid offers include a 2014 Gates Millennium Scholar—the church’s 4th Gates Millennium Scholar—and the church’s 2nd and 3rd Posse Foundation Scholars. The 48 students—who attend high school in Cherokee, Cobb, Gwinnett, Fulton, and Paulding Counties, Marietta City Schools and Atlanta Public Schools, and a few who receive private and home-schooled educations—will be celebrated at the church’s 7th annual High School Graduation Celebration Worship Service on Sunday, May 25, 2014 at 9:30 am.

Many of these graduating high school seniors were rising middle school students when nationally acclaimed author and educational consultant Mychal Wynn, and his wife Nina Wynn, volunteered to take the reigns of the Turner Chapel AME Church’s Education Ministry. Through the church’s college planning, essay writing, and interview preparation workshops; CRCT Prep and SAT Prep sessions; bi-annual academic celebrations; annual college fair; annual college tour; college discussion panel of current and graduated college students; as well as the annual High School Graduation Celebration, the church has cultivated a culture of high academic expectation, leadership, and service.

Click here to visit the Education Ministry Facebook Page…

Street Angels Motorcycle Club Scholarship, Deadline May 31, 2014

April 30, 2014

Street Angels Motorcycle Club is a group of women dedicated in its efforts to provide for the community an organization which promotes the safety of motorcycling, camaraderie and the patronage of the riding community. We strive to make great contributions to our riding community, as well as assisting those in need.  The Scholarship was established in 2008 as another opportunity to give back to the community. We believe that pursuing an education at the post-secondary level is beneficial to the individual, the community and the economy. Because of this belief, we have decided to assist two individuals in their pursuit of higher education by providing educational funding. We will award one $500 first place, and one $250 second place scholarship.

Criteria:

Applicant must be a freshman entering a four-year college or university in 2014-2015

Applicant or parent/guardian must be a licensed motorcycle rider in the state of Georgia

Applicant must be a resident of Georgia

Applicant must have a minimum grade point average of 2.50 on a 4.00 scale

Applicant must provide an official transcript with the application packet

Applicant must provide one letter of recommendation with the application packet; this letter must be from an educator or guidance counselor at the applicant’s school

Applicant must provide proof of community service with the application packet

Applicant must submit a 500 word essay

Finalists must appear for an interview in the Atlanta area on June 14, 2014.

These applicants will be notified via telephone or U.S. mail.  Winners are invited to the scholarship luncheon on June 22, 2014.

The application can be found at:

street angels application

 

Wellstar Cobb Auxiliary Scholarship, Deadline May 14, 2014

April 30, 2014

The WellStar Cobb Auxiliary Scholarship is available for students who plan to pursue a degree or certificate in the healthcare profession in the State of GA.  Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 2.0.

The application can be found at the link:  http://www.wellstar.org/about-us/volunteers/documents/cobb-auxiliary-scholarship-application.pdf

 

National Institutes of Health Undergraduate Scholarships

April 21, 2014

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP) offers competitive scholarships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are committed to careers in biomedical, behavioral, and social science health-related research. The program offers:

  • Scholarship support
  • Paid research training at the NIH during the summer
  • Paid employment and training at the NIH after graduation

SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT

The NIH UGSP will pay up to $20,000 per academic year in tuition, educational expenses, and reasonable living expenses to scholarship recipients. Scholarships are awarded for 1 year, and can be renewed up to 4 years.

RESEARCH TRAINING AT THE NIH

For each full or partial scholarship year, you are committed to two NIH service obligations. The obligations are actually benefits of the UGSP, providing you with invaluable research training and experience at the NIH.

  1. 10-week Summer Laboratory Experience. After each year of scholarship support, you will train for 10 weeks as a paid summer research employee in an NIH research laboratory. This employment occurs after the receipt of the scholarship award. Each scholar will be assigned to an NIH researcher and an NIH postdoctoral fellow, who will serve as mentors. You will also attend formal seminars and participate in a variety of programs.
  2. Employment at the NIH after Graduation. After graduation, you will continue your training as a full-time employee in an NIH research laboratory. You must serve 1 year of full-time employment for each year of scholarship.

Organization of Black Aerospace Professional Scholarships

April 21, 2014

Overview & Forms:

 

 

OBAP is proud to announce the following scholarship opportunities.
Click on a link below to view more information and to apply.

Unless otherwise stated, the application deadline for all scholarships is May.

Deadline: May