11 Black History Month Scholarships for Your Advisees: February 2014 Deadlines

In commemoration of Black History Month, African-American students have some very notable scholarship opportunities they might not know about. Some major companies along with well-respected nonprofit organizations are offering hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarship and grant funding. All application deadlines are in February so it is important that students are alerted to these opportunities as soon as possible.

A comprehensive list of the eleven posted scholarships is available here. Below are six noteworthy entrants for students interested in business and/or interested in bolstering their grad school application packages with additional experience and pedigree. It is also important to encourage advisees to seek out other opportunities for alternative funding beyond this list as well as beyond the framework of Black History Month. Paying for graduate school is a top concern and there is no better money than free money.

Each item is taken directly from the full list of scholarships:

• The Jerry Bartow Scholarship Fund, offered by the Black Executive Exchange Program (BEEP), awards three scholarships each year for undergraduate students who are attending historically black colleges and universities (HBCU). Students must major in business, engineering, technology, or education. Students must be in their sophomore, junior or senior year of college before applying. They must also have a grade point average of 3.0 or above to qualify. The scholarship is for Black (non-Hispanic) students enrolled full-time at a four-year college or university.

• The GEICO Achievement Award Program helps current college students who are sophomores and juniors earn scholarship money to complete their education. Eligible students must be enrolled in a business, computer science, or mathematics program. Eligibility requirements include a grade point average of 3.0 or above, enrollment in a four-year college or university, volunteer work in the community as well as demonstrated leadership on campus. Students may major in the areas of Business, Computer Science, Mathematics, Economics, Information Systems, Computer Engineering, Statistics or Actuarial Science.

• The Coca-Cola Pay It Forward Scholarship Program offers scholarship awards and once-in-a-lifetime apprenticeship experiences to African American youth looking to pave the way for their futures. The program is under the umbrella of the Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation, and since 2012, the popular talk show host and best-selling author has been providing this opportunity. Partnering with the Coca-Cola Pay It Forward program builds on Harvey’s long-term commitment to mentoring youth.

• The 100 Black Men of America Future Leader Scholarship Program is open to high school seniors as well as college freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors. To qualify, students must have a grade point average of 2.5 or above. It is also necessary for applicants to have completed 50 hours of community service without compensation within the past 12 months and be able to document their volunteer work. To apply, students will be asked to complete a 600-word essay on one of four topics.

• LAGRANT Foundation Scholarships are targeted toward minority undergraduate and graduate students, offering scholarships for students interested in careers in advertising, marketing or public relations. Students must be American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian/Pacific Islander, Black (non-Hispanic) or Hispanic. Up to 12 scholarships are offered to graduate students. Graduate students may apply in their freshman, sophomore, junior or senior year, or in graduate school. A grade point average of 3.2 or above is required. Up to 24 scholarships are awarded to undergraduate students who maintain a grade point average of 2.75 or above. All scholarships are renewable.

• The Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship is for minority high school students in the United States. In addition to a financial grant, the foundation also provides its scholars with mentoring and leadership development opportunities, and internships. To be eligible, all applicants must be graduating seniors and must belong to a minority group (African American, Hispanic American, Asian American, or Native American).