SWNA Scholarship Task Force

Carolyn G. Mitchell, Chair

This is the 34th year of the SWNA Scholarship Program. Over the past three decades, the community supported fund has helped more than 237 neighborhood youth achieve their educational goals by providing grants for college. These grants of financial support help to defray the cost of tuition, purchase the ever-increasing textbooks, provide for small necessities, or pay for a trip home when a student is feeling homesick.

In school year 2009-2010, twelve students were given grants totaling $12,000 due to the generosity of Southwest residents. This generosity allowed the all-volunteer SWNA Scholarship Task Force the opportunity to assist these 12 students to achieved their educational goals. Individual student awards ranged from $500 to $1,500. Trinity College sophomore, Mercedes Allen was selected to receive the River Park Friends $1,500 award. This year through the SWNA's Technology Task Force of SWNA three students received reconditioned laptop computers.

The Students:

Any student who lives in the “near Southwest (zip code 20024) and Capitol Riverfront (20003) community and has been accepted to an accredited college or post-secondary institution is eligible to be considered for a grant. A personal interview, scholastic achievement, financial need and community service are considered when making the awards.

Because of the varied housing and income levels of Southwest/Capitol Riverfront, our scholarship recipients come from public housing, subsidized housing and middle-income residences.

One student's expression of appreciation follows:

“Transitioning to college has been a big change, as it has demanded that I put forth great efforts in all aspects of my life. Having your financial support has significantly reduced the stress of this transition. I would also like to thank you for the laptop you have given me to keep up with my studies. As I pursue my dreams of becoming a medical doctor I look forward to the day, when like you, I would be in a position to give back to my community. It is my sincere desire to be able to enable other students the privilege you have given me to pursue a higher education.”

The Volunteers:

Rick Bardach, Anita Allen, Marsha Letsinger, Dale MacIver, Rhonda Hamilton and Southwest Library Staff, who made sure applications were distributed, collected and the Chair was kept informed as to the status of the applications.

The 2009/2010 Scholarship recipients:

• Mercedes Allen, West Liberty University
• Diamond Kirkland, Temple University
• Kyle Mimms, Temple University
• McKindria Letsinger, Virginia State University
• Patricia Harris, Bowie State University
• Shanna Nichols, Grinnell University
• Tiffany Robinson, Georgetown University
• Vincent Omekam, University of Pittsburgh
• Shakira Thomas, Howard University
• Quincy Peterson, Norfolk University
• Natasha Rodriquez, University of Maryland
• Kenneth Tinsley, Central State University