The Scholarship Academy, Inc
Jessica Johnson

Program Area: Education
Location of Impact: Atlanta, GA

Bold Idea: Teach students to leverage their financial aid options through a curriculum-based scholarship prep program.

Why I Am Passionate About This: Only 33 percent of black males enroll in college. Though some students qualify for loans, the gaps in their financial aid packages remain barriers to getting an education. During college, I helped my church youth group members address their financial aid gaps. After completing my Masters in Nonprofit Management, I worked with a summer camp class on applying for scholarships. When the first group of students I helped received nearly $2.5 million in scholarships, I knew that I was onto something. As a personal recipient of over $200,000 in scholarships, I recognized that unyielding barriers lie in the shadows of the $96 billion student loan market, that discourage average students from pursuing post-secondary education. The Scholarship Academy demystifies the financial aid process for black males with a curriculum-based scholarship preparatory program. We emphasize how to use leadership, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement to win scholarships and help families support their child’s success.

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These profiles are derived from Fellowship applications.