Sankofa Visionary Paths Scholarship

APPLICATION FOR

SANKOFA VISIONARY PATHS SCHOLARSHIP
YEAR 2024-2025

Scholarship Details

Provided by: Black Cultural Center & A. Ray Olpin Student Union

Scholarship Disbursed Academic Fall 2024

Value: $5,000

Number of Awards: 2

Application Deadline: Sunday, March 31, 2024 by 11:59 PM (MST)

UNION SCHOLARSHIP FUND PURPOSE

The purpose of the Union Scholarship Fund is to support the academic achievement of students representing a wide array of backgrounds and experiences; the students are currently attending or plan to attend the University of Utah. The fund promotes the retention and completion of students who demonstrate financial need and a commitment to the mission of the Union. Through this fund, the Union and its scholarship partners recognize students who are committed to bettering the communities they serve

PURPOSE OF THE SANKOFA VISIONARY PATHS SCHOLARSHIP 

The Union Scholarship Fund in partnership with the Black Cultural Center provides two (2) scholarships of $5,000 each to assist a student in accomplishing their academic goals. The purpose is to identify and recognize student leaders whose involvement has, or will contribute to the overall mission of The Black Culural Center and the University Union.

MISSION OF THE BLACK CULTURAL CENTER;

Using a Pan-African lens, the Black Cultural Center (BCC) seeks to holistically enrich, support, and advocate for faculty, staff, trainees, and students through Black-centered research, culturally affirming educational initiatives, and service. The Black Cultural Center will enact this mission through intentional programmatic learning outcomes, envisioned to build a sense of belonging and community at the U, with the goal of increasing the recruitment and retention of Black faculty, staff, and students. Through research, education, and service this center will promote and explore race/racism, social justice, cross disciplines, community connections, centering the Black voice, leadership, and the larger African diasporic community.

ELIGIBILITY

• Candidates must take a minimum of 9 undergraduate or 6 graduate credits at the University of Utah for the 2024 fall semester. 
• Candidates must be able to demonstrate financial need for the scholarship via the financial need essay. 
• Candidates must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 from the University of Utah or prior institution. 
• Many students who are selected to receive a University scholarship after May 12, 2015, are required by state law to certify under penalty of perjury that they are eligible to receive the scholarship as a U.S. citizen or a citizen of another country who is lawfully present within the United States. Students who have both graduated from a recognized Utah High school and who are awarded a scholarship funded by a private donor are not required to certify their lawful presence before receiving a privately funded scholarship. (This scholarship is a privately funded scholarship.)
• Students who are required to certify their lawful presence in the United States must also be submitted to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for verification of their lawful presence within the United States. Once the University submits information to DHS for verification this federal agency may have the legal right to share information with other government agencies. If you do not know whether you are lawfully present within the United States you should seek the advice of an immigration attorney before accepting a University Scholarship that requires certification and verification. 

RECIPIENT REQUIREMENTS

• The recipients of the scholarship are expected to attend the annual Union Scholarship Celebration event during the evening of Thursday, September 19th, 2024. The celebration promotes the scholarship on a community level and will be the time when recipients are publicly recognized and awarded.
• Sign scholarship Acceptance Forms
• Schedule a headshot picture

APPLICATION CHECKLIST

• Personal & Enrollment Information
• Attach a resume
• Attach a essay: Financial Need Essay
• Attach a essay: Community Involvement & Influential Figure Essay
• (Optional) Attach an essay: Supplemental Essay

SCHOLARSHIP CONTACT

David Leon

Graduate Assisstant

University of Utah, A. Ray Olpin Union Building

200 S. Central Campus Dr. Room 255 Salt Lake City, UT 84112

dleon@union.utah.edu

(801) 585-9709