The Baltimore Community Foundation (BCF), an umbrella organzation for a range of Baltimore-based non-profit groups, handed out $112,500 in scholarship awards to 67 Maryland students. The awards ranging in amount from $500 to $10,000 were awarded to graduating members of the Class of 2010 as well as former recipients currently attending college.
"A well-educated workforce is crucial to our goal of a Baltimore with a growing economy where all have the opportunity to thrive, and BCF is proud to support this vision by helping young people realize their dreams of attending college. Today we celebrate BCF's scholarship recipients, as well as the generous donors who helped make it all possible," says Tom Wilcox, BCF president.
Hilary Bowman, a graduating senior at Digital Harbor High School, recieved the $10,000 One Step Up Scholarship. The scholarship, established by Jonnie-Kay McLean and her husband Norman Morrison, was created to enable young women who have overcome significant challenges and displayed leadership qualities to go to college.
"I've been in education for 40 years and when I went to school, I was the only girl in my high school to go. I had no money at all, no way of getting money and had to work every single minute of the day. That made it really hard. So when I retired, we decided we wanted to do something for young women in Baltimore. We specifically wanted to do something for students who had to work [in high school or take on other roles] to help support their family," McLean explains.
The couple wasn't looking for the valedictorians, but students who were "solid citizens with real moral values who had done an awful lot in terms of leadership within their family, church, school or community. And someone we thought that with this chance would have a significant impact on their families, themselves and their community."
Bowman, ranked fourth in her class, was selected because of her dedication to her family and her studies. "She has helped her family pay bills, is one of the most active students in her school and has been involved in mentoring the younger children in her community. She has taken care of the community's 4- and 5-year olds through athletics and the community parks and recs program there, even though she has to work nearly full-time for her family," McLean says.
Bowman, who will attend Maryland's Loyola University this Fall, will receive $10,000 for her first year in college; $5,000 for the second year and $3,000 for the third year. She plans to major in business marketing.
"I want to go into business marketing and create a non-profit company that will cater to young people, helping them to get out of the bad situations around them," says Bowman.
Here's a complete list of the scholarships awarded.
Sources: Jonnie-Kay McLean, Hillary Bowman
Writer: Walaika Haskins