What’s happening: The application window has officially opened for a new scholarship available to those students looking to further their education at a historically Black college or university (HBCU). Students that have graduated or are graduating from a high school in Memphis or Shelby County have until Friday, March 31, to apply.
What it is: The Memphis City Council HBCU Fund offers $1 million in scholarships to HBCUs, to be split evenly between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years. There will be 100 scholarships that range from $2,500 to $15,000 awarded this round.
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LeMoyne-Owen College is Memphis’ only HBCU. (File photo: Lauren Turner)How it came to be: City Council chairman and HBCU alumnus Martavius Jones advocated for the fund and it was created by the
Memphis City Council in September 2021. The $1 million comes from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which was signed into law by President Biden in March 2021.
How to apply: The
Community Foundation of Greater Memphis is administering the Memphis City Council HBCU Fund and those students interested can apply via the Community Foundation website, which is available
HERE. Students must have graduated or will graduate from a high school in Memphis or Shelby County to qualify for the HBCU scholarship. The deadline to apply is Friday, March 31.
Why it’s important: “The Memphis City Council recognizes the financial hardship that students and families experience in their efforts to pay for a college education,” says Memphis City Council Chairman Martavius Jones. “As a graduate of an HBCU, I understand how valuable these particular institutions are for developing young people so that they are able to return to the City of Memphis and make a lasting, positive impact in their community.”
Learn more about the Memphis City Council HBCU Fund online.
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