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Students Receive Scholarships from the Tom Joyner Foundation
HU scholarship winners pose with Tom Joyner before the Comedy Show.
Hampton University was the Tom Joyner Foundation “School of the Month” for October 2008. During the month, 16 HU students were awarded scholarships for the 2008-2009 school year. The scholarships were given to assist with HU’s efforts to raise money and help keep students engaged in their education.
HU students were candidates for four $1,500 Denny’s Restaurant/Single Parent Scholarships, four $1,500 Tom Joyner Scholarships, five $2,500 Hercules Scholarships and four $2,500 Budweiser Scholarships.
Senior broadcast journalism major, Brittany Evans from Detroit, Mich., was awarded the Single Parent Scholarship, which is given to full-time students who are single parents.
“I think the foundation is wonderful because it provides scholarships for not only students with good GPAs or that are involved in organizations, but for students with other responsibilities,” she said.
Throughout October, the nationally syndicated radio personality, Tom Joyner, announced the scholarship recipients during his radio show, the “Tom Joyner Morning Show” which airs locally on 105.3 KISS FM. The awardees will receive their scholarships during the 2009 spring semester.
“When I found out that I would be receiving the scholarship, I was filled with gratitude and joy,” said Angela Presley, a junior marketing major from Inglewood, Calif. Presley is a recipient of the Tom Joyner Scholarship: Building Legacies Expanding HBCU’s. “It’s an honor to be chosen as a recipient amongst all the other applicants,” she said.
Joshua Baker, a senior psychology major from Compton, Calif., was one of five recipients of the Hercules Scholarship for “Brothas on The Move.” Full time male students who maintained at least a 3.5 GPA and demonstrate leadership skills in civic and academic organizations were eligible. After graduation, Baker plans to return to California to become a police officer, attend law school, pursue a master’s degree in psychology and ultimately become mayor of Compton, Calif.
The Tom Joyner Foundation has been dedicated to raising money for students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) since 1998. Over the past ten years, it has raised over $55 million to assist thousands of students from 80 different colleges.
“I am thankful for organizations that help college students further their education,” said Imani Tuck who is a freshman biology major from Atlanta, Ga., and recipient of the Budweiser Scholarship. “I plan to give back to my community the same way that the Tom Joyner Foundation does.”
Also in October, HU President Dr. William R. Harvey and senior marketing major Rachel Spivey, were featured on the “Tom Joyner Morning Show” to encourage support for black colleges.
“It’s very important that people give to foundations such as the Tom Joyner Foundation to help students stay at a HBCU,” Spivey said on the show.
Harvey also strongly urged the community’s support. “By logging on to blackamericaweb.com/foundation, you will be helping those who are at historically black colleges and supporting a deserving student,” he said.
Throughout October, HU partnered with the Tom Joyner Foundation to help raise money for other HU scholarships. Together, the partnership sponsored the Tom Joyner and HU Partnership Comedy Jam: A Special Tribute to Bernie Mac and the HU 5K by the Bay. The fundraising activities combined raised over $50,000 for other scholarships to be awarded to HU students.
--Ronda Bryant