Scholarships provide crucial path for HBCU student success
The spirit of the nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities runs through Alabama.
Stillman College's Ta'Kari Bryant and Talladega College's Eduardo Vidal believe HBCUs offer them the perfect environment to launch their careers.
鈥淵ou don't feel forced to try to be someone else because you're in a space where people understand you; they understand where you came from,鈥� Bryant said.
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鈥淭o me, it means, you know, just being diverse and having a family here and having people that accept you and, you know, you can be yourself here,鈥� Vidal said.
However, their financial path to higher education was filled with potholes.
鈥淭hey really wanted me to go to college. But, you know, the way my family is, you know, they couldn't, they just didn't have the money to, you know, put me in college,鈥� Vidal said.
鈥淚 was distraught because I didn't know what else to do financially. Financial aid was trying to get me to take out all these loans,鈥� Bryant said.
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Every year, the United Negro College Fund helps students like Bryant and Vidal keep their dreams alive.
In its 80-year existence, the UNCF has provided a path forward for half a million scholarship recipients.
More than $100 million a year are making college possible for students at 1,100 institutions nationwide.
Cassi Ferguson runs the UNCF office for the Birmingham area.
鈥淲e have to try to stay here and constantly, whether is affirmative action or not, constantly people are going to want to push us here. And we can't. We work harder because we have to,鈥� Ferguson said.
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She said once the U.S. Supreme Court struck down affirmative action last year, they must be more intentional about educating the public about the challenges minority students can face.
鈥淚t's hard for UNCF, but it's a passion for you. And so, you have to make sure that this is we will not stop this work,鈥� said.
Ferguson is an HBCU graduate herself, with a business administration degree from Talladega College.
Gregory Vincent is the school's 21st president.
He says scholarships from organizations like UNCF are crucial to continuing the college's 157-year legacy.
鈥淓very penny we contribute to education is going to have a multiplying effect, a positive impact,鈥� Vincent said.
Ta'Kari Bryant is a prime example of the UNCF's impact.
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鈥淏ecause of them, I'm graduating with little to no debt, and so I'm very thankful for that. They have internship opportunities, career opportunities. It's a really good organization,鈥� Bryant said.
The money Vidal received from a Janet Jackson scholarship is helping prepare the class president for law school.
鈥淚 applied, I got the scholarship, and it helped me out a lot and help me out with my books and also help me buy a computer,鈥� Vidal said.
鈥楾he mind is a terrible thing to waste鈥� has served as the UNCF's slogan for nearly half a century and has been delivering hope to HBCU students all along.
鈥淵ou shouldn't have to worry about how you're going to have to pay for it, especially when you're a good student,鈥� Bryant said.
The UNCF is helping students tap into their limitless potential to change the world.