On the morning of Tuesday, September 24, Urban League of Northwest Indiana hosted the 18th installment of its Annual Scholarship Fair. The fair was once again held in Indiana University Northwest’s Savannah Fitness Center. Over 1500 students from across Lake, Porter, and La Porte counties attended the event. They came from a wide array of schools, including Michigan City’s Marquette Catholic High School, Gary’s Thea Bowman Leadership Academy, and institutions from South Bend, Merrillville, and Valparaiso. The attendees enjoyed coffee, donuts, and Chicagoland Popcorn during the event.
According to Dr. Vanessa Allen-McCloud, president and CEO of Urban League, the Annual Scholarship Fair is highly beneficial for local students.
“Urban League’s annual scholarship fair is very unique,” Allen-McCloud said. “It differs from the typical college fair in that it brings in recruiters from colleges throughout the country to issue partial or full scholarship awards and acceptance letters to eligible students. The recruiters will also conduct onsite interviews with the students who are here today.”
Over 60 colleges and universities from across the country sent representatives to discuss scholarships and enrollment with the assembled students. These included Valparaiso University, Purdue University Northwest, Grand Canyon University in Arizona, Langston University in Oklahoma, Tuskegee University in Alabama, and Simmons College of Kentucky.
Dr. Deborah Black, college and career readiness coordinator at Urban League, feels that the atmosphere of the Annual Scholarship Fair promotes a higher rate of scholarship applications among the students present.
“This event gives the students both energy and information,” Black said. “They get motivated to apply for scholarships when they hear that others are receiving them. Many years ago, when I graduated, we did not have opportunities like this. I know what it’s like to scrape your money together and even then it wasn’t enough. There are so many dollars available now, but these kids need information about those dollars. Our Annual Scholarship Fair is a conduit for providing that information, and I'm very proud to be part of it.”
This past July, Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana gifted Urban League $250,000 to fund the Do Well by Doing Good Scholarship, a collaboration between Urban League and IU Northwest that will offer financial aid to students who graduate from Gary-area schools. At this year’s scholarship fair, IU Northwest offered students four-year scholarships and accepted students on the spot. Students wanting to learn more about IU Northwest could take guided tours led by IU Northwest students. Vicki Román-Lagunas, interim chancellor at IU Northwest, is pleased that the Annual Scholarship Fair is being held at IU Northwest for the third consecutive year.
“College matters, no matter what,” Román-Lagunas said. “Getting your four-year degree is important, and will benefit you for the rest of your life. I firmly believe that, and that's why I work in higher education. IU Northwest has a very strong partnership with Urban League. We are both committed to providing local students with a college education and sending them forth to be leaders in our community.”
Representatives of other organizations set up their tables beside those of the colleges and universities, ready to speak with students about some alternative options to higher education. These included the Gary Fire Department and the Lake County Sheriff's Corrections Department.
Dakita Jones, Vice President of Community Relations at Centier Bank, enjoyed attending last year’s scholarship fair so much that she and her colleague Yolanda Davis, vice president of community reinvestment at Centier Bank and Urban League board chair, worked together to create a brand-new diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) scholarship for Centier Bank. Jones hopes that this new scholarship will help students pursue their interests, whatever those may be.
“There's a variety of ways that a person can demonstrate their skills and abilities,” Jones said. “It shouldn’t be cookie cutter. Some people love to invent and create, while others have a passion for volunteering. Those can all be done outside of academics if the student so chooses. We’re excited to help students realize their potential, whatever that looks like for them. My daughter is a senior in high school this year, so I am grateful to be able to help support students and their parents who are on the same journey she and I are currently on.”
Davis emphasizes that the Annual Scholarship Fair can help broaden students’ horizons in ways they may not have thought.
“This event is important because it enables students to learn about other universities and organizations they may not have encountered before,” Davis said. “It gives them an opportunity to explore what’s available out there. I hope the students will take full advantage of the opportunities placed before them here today. I’m pleased to see that the students at this year’s fair are very driven and engaged. I’m excited to be here today, and I hope they are too.”
Doricela Araiza, a volunteer with Urban League of Northwest Indiana, feels that the Scholarship Fair benefits its attendees in a variety of ways.
“This is a great opportunity for the students,” Araiza said. “It’s an excellent chance for us to emphasize the importance of a college education to them. It’s also a great way for us to bring them all together and let them know that there are scholarships available that can help them achieve their goals. If I didn’t work with Urban League, I would never have known just how many scholarships are out there. Over 70,000 scholarships were offered at last year’s scholarship fair alone. We have to let the students know about them, otherwise they can’t get the support they need.”
Bahiyah Shabazz, CEO of Decimalitics and CFO for small business owners, represented Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. and Urban League of Northwest Indiana Entrepreneur Program at the Scholarship Fair. She appreciates the opportunity to participate in this event for a third time.
“I’m here to lend assistance to students who want to be entrepreneurs along with those who seek scholarships,” Shabazz said. “We truly feel that what we're doing here today is embedded in the very fabric of education. I would like to encourage all students to be themselves, define their own success, and stick with whatever it is that they want to do in life. They won’t get it right the first time, but that's okay. They should continue to persevere.”
Darian Collins, a member of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Gary Branch and Delta Sigma Theta sorority’s Gary Alumnae Chapter, helped run the event’s voter registration tables. She feels that it is important to instill good voting habits in students early on.
“My fellow Delta Sigma Theta sorority member Joan Jones and I are happy to be here to talk with the students,” Collins said. “We want to encourage the young people here today who are turning 18 to register and vote. We’re telling them to take a look at the candidates and learn what each one stands for. From there, these young voters can identify what they find most appealing about each candidate’s interests, policies, and positions. You can then cast your informed vote. It is imperative that Indiana voters of all ages visit indianavoters.in.gov and check their voting status.”
Students who received scholarships or were accepted by a school celebrated by ringing a small bell and happily posed for pictures with a certificate listing the amount of funds they were given.
Come December 15, students will have access to over 60 scholarships via Urban League’s online scholarship portal. Nontraditional and adult students can access financial aid support on Urban League’s website. Please visit urbanleagueofnwi.org to stay up-to-date on Urban League’s services and upcoming events.
You can learn more about the educational opportunities that IU Northwest has to offer by visiting northwest.iu.edu.
