George Floyd Social Justice Scholarship awarded to 3 students
In June 2020, the Cincinnati State Foundation established the George Floyd Social Justice Scholarship
The new scholarship provides funding for Cincinnati State students who have demonstrated promising academic performance and a keen awareness of social justice issues.
More than 70 students submitted applications for the scholarship, which included an essay discussing social justice leadership, experiences with racial injustice, or how to contribute to social justice change. Applicants also had to provide letters of reference and their cumulative grade point average.
Essays were reviewed by a committee including community leaders Mr. Rollins Davis and Mr. Nathan Ivey, along with Cincinnati State Transfer Center Coordinator Dr. Myshamil Walker.
The scholarship recipients for 2021 are:
- Souleymane Coulibaly – Computer Network Engineering Technology (GPA 3.6)
- Nikki McDulin – Nursing (GPA 3.7)
- Helen Tayar – Nursing (GPA 4.0)
Each recipient received an equal share of $1600 in funds raised for the inaugural scholarship awards, with another $500 set aside for future scholarships.
Academic Coach and adjunct instructor Dr. Jennifer Davis-Bowman took a leadership role in reaching out to others to support the new scholarship. Contributors to the scholarship fund included College faculty, staff, and administrators as well as community supporters who are K-12 teachers, small business owners, and those whose families lost loved ones due to police violence.
Also, several businesses and organizations supported the project, including:
- Beauty by Zai Zai
- Ben & Jerry’s
- Cynsational Fitness
- Dewey’s Pizza
- Downbound Books
- Embassy Suites
- Mike’s Car Wash
- Mitchell’s Salon
- Nathan Ivey Show
A snapshot of the project development process was highlighted on Edutopia, a website focused on “what works in education.”
In addition to the individuals and organizations mentioned above, Dr. Davis-Bowman thanked others for their help, inspiration, and commitment to the project:
- Kim Taylor
- Elliott Ruther
- Kristin Donaldson
- Lawanda Thompson
- Melissa Scott
- Laura Lee
For questions or to learn more about the scholarship, contact Kim Taylor in the Cincinnati State Advancement/Development Office (kim.taylor@cincinnatistate.edu) or Dr. Jennifer Davis-Bowman, the project organizer (jennifer.davisbowman@cincinnatistate.edu).