Understanding the need to offset the costs associated with tuition, room and board, and other expenses, the Urban League of Philadelphia is proud to announce that $70,000 in scholarships have been awarded to 36 students from the Greater Philadelphia region. The recipients were presented with the scholarships at the Empowerment Week Gala on Saturday, June 5, 2010.
The black-tie event, where Comcast Corporation and Jo-Dan Enterprises/McDonald’s Licensee were honored for their commitment to diversity and inclusion, was held at the Philadelphia Marriott. U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah and U.S. Rep Joe Sestak brought greetings to the more than 700 guests from the civic and business communities.
Entitled “I AM EMPOWERED: Enacting the Vision, Impacting the Future”, the gala is the perfect opportunity to present scholarship recipients to the public, showing the general public, corporate partners and members of the Urban League of Philadelphia the return on investments they make through contributions and membership dues. Over the past five years, the Urban League of Philadelphia has awarded more than $150,000 in scholarships to deserving students.
Patricia A. Coulter, president and CEO of the Urban League of Philadelphia, said, “Part of the National Urban League’s I Am Empowered initiative pledges that every American child will be ready for college, career, and life by 2025,” Coulter said. “Thanks to our corporate partners, members and those who believe in our mission, this year’s scholarship award amount has more than doubled in size from 2009, making us that much closer to achieving this aspirational goal.
“We are working hard to create a college-going culture amongst our youth as a way to better our communities,” Coulter continued. “Ideally, our scholarship recipients will go off to college, earn a degree and return to our city and become important players in helping us foster economic empowerment, advancement and achievement in Philadelphia and its surrounding communities.”
The scholarships are funded through contributions from corporate partners like Walmart and ARAMARK, professional organizations, such as the American Association of Blacks in Energy, as well as the Urban League Guild of Philadelphia and NExT Philadelphia: Network of Extraordinary Talent, the Urban League of Philadelphia’s two Affinity Groups where volunteerism and community service are primary goals.
The following is a list of the scholarship recipients, the awards they received and the college or university they will attend this fall:
Robert Sorrell Community Service Scholarship ($1,000)
Precious Washington (George Washington Carver High School) Millersville University
Donor: Robert Sorrell
Urban League of Philadelphia Empowerment Scholarship ($2,000)
Bryce Simmons (William Bodine High School) Community College of Philadelphia
Donor: Anonymous
Wanda Paul Scholarship ($1,000)
Xavier Gibson (Garnet Valley High School, Glen Mills, PA) Penn State University
Donor: Wanda Paul
Bill and Joanne Ribble Urban League of Philadelphia Scholarship to Kutztown University ($5,000)
Shelton Davis-Caple
Donor: Bill and Joanne Ribble
Urban League Guild of Philadelphia Education Scholarship ($1,000)
Mariah James (Walter Biddle Saul High School) University of Hawaii at Hilo
Donor: Urban League Guild of Philadelphia
NExT Philadelphia: Network of Extraordinary Talent Scholarship ($2,000)
Amber Paige (Central High School) Howard University
Melissa McCollum (Philadelphia Mennonite High School) Lock Haven University
Donor: NExT Philadelphia
Bernard C. Watson, Ph.D. Scholarship ($10,000)
Donovan Glover (Math, Civics and Sciences Charter School) Undecided
Kiana Miller (William Bodine High School) Saint Joseph’s University
Ciera Robinson (Constitution High School) Tuskegee University
Brandon Alston (Academy at Palumbo) Haverford College
Donor: Bernard C. Watson, Ph.D.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car Community Scholarship ($10,000)
Kirby Dixon, University of Pennsylvania
Sean William (Delaware Valley Charter) Clark Atlanta University
Midrele Kamleun (Abraham Lincoln High School)
Thaira Washington (Olney East High School) LaSalle University
Jose Ortiz (William Penn High School) Undecided
Donor: Enterprise Rent-a-Car
Anne’s Child Scholarship ($2,000)
Ayana Martinez (Overbrook High School)
Donor: Lisa Crutchfield
Cherokee Pharceuticals Scholarship ($2,500)
Ricardo Tull (Central High School) West Chester University
Donor: PRWT Services, Inc.
Lewis & Wilborn Memorial Scholarship ($1,000)
Steven Fox (Central High School) Drexel University
Donor: Courtney and Monica Wilborn
U.S. Facilities Inc. Scholarship ($2,500)
Richard Stewart (Brideway Academy) Community College of Philadelphia
Donor: PRWT Services, Inc.
PRWT Services Inc. Scholarship ($2,500)
Christina Smiley (William Bodine High School) Temple University
Donor: PRWT Services, Inc.
American Association of Blacks in Energy Scholarship ($4,000)
Ajin Fatima (George Washington Carver High School for Engineering and Science) Drexel University
Simone Hyater-Adams (Pennsauken High School, Pennsauken, NJ) Hampton University
Mecca Islam (Robert Lamberton High School) Undecided
Abiola Ajubola (Upper Darby High School, Drexel Hill, PA) Florida Institute of Technology
Donor: American Association of Blacks in Energy / SUNOCO
Tangee Gibson Scholarship ($2,500)
Aaris Alston (Julia R. Masterman High School) Howard University
Donor: Tangee Gibson
ARAMARK Scholarship ($5,000)
Jakia Hughes (George Washington Carver High School for Engineering and Science) Hampton University
Shahna-Marie Bell (Creative and Performing Arts High School) Temple University
Donor: ARAMARK
ACME Markets Scholarship ($5,000)
Kaloni Baylor (Science Leadership Academy) West Chester University
Umar Amin (Marianna Bracetti Academy) Pennsylvania State University
Donor: ACME Markets
Rosabelle & Walter Smith Scholarship ($1,000)
Stanley Collins (World Communications Charter) Morehouse College
Donor: Patricia Smith
Pepsi Beverages Company – Urban League Scholarship ($1,000)
Aijah Goodwin (Parkway Northwest High School) University of Pittsburgh
Donor: Pepsi Beverages Company
Walmart Scholarship ($2,000)
Shaunice Wellington (Philadelphia High School for Girls) Pennsylvania State University
Donor: Walmart Foundation
Thomas and Mikhal Monson Scholarship ($5,000)
Gregory Jordan Detamore (Julia R. Masterman) Brown University
Rachel Jones (Hampton University)
Donor: Andrea Custis
Sam & Deidre Patterson Scholarship ($1,000)
Danielle Mines (Friere Charter School) Cheyney University
Donor: Sam and Deidre Patterson
For additional information on the Urban League of Philadelphia’s events and programs, please call 215-985-3220, ext. 211 or visit its website, www.urbanleaguephila.org.
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