How UNCF Scholarships Saved a Spelman Student from Dropping Out
Gabrielle Burnett, a rising senior at Spelman College, one of UNCF’s member institutions, was recently awarded three scholarships—the Catherine W. Pierce Scholarship, the EA Madden Scholarship Program and the BNSF Railway Foundation Scholars Program. These awards are helping fund Burnett’s fine arts degree for the academic year.
Like many college students, Burnett used work study jobs to help afford her education, but it wasn’t enough. These scholarships from UNCF and partner organizations helped her close critical funding gaps.
Burnett describes becoming a UNCF scholar as “a long-awaited win.” She admitted that she once had doubts that she wasn’t qualified to receive a scholarship. “That’s when I was surprised with back-to-back wins,” she added.
Without UNCF scholarships, Burnett would have had to drop out of school. Now, she encourages art students to apply for scholarships to relieve the burden of financial stress. “It is important for HBCU art students to apply for UNCF scholarships because this is the only platform that has fair opportunities for the arts along with supporting the future of STEM,” she said.
Beyond financial relief, UNCF scholarships provide students with career development. Through the EA Madden Scholars Program, she was introduced to various career paths in the EA Game creation company. While touring the art studio, she explored the evolution of the art and animation industry. The scholarship program taught her about the 3D modelers/scanners, animation groups and art direction that EA implemented into its Madden games.
Burnett is focused on art that showcases the Black experience and chose Spelman to explore the intersectionality of Black culture, history and art. “The classes and lectures held within the arts [program] at Spelman are so unique and cannot be found at any other institution,” she said. “Therefore, I feel grounded in the Black experience and Black art experience.”
Her most memorable experiences on campus were directing and producing. Through her work study job, she directed the livestream production truck for a program streaming on YouTube. “With the truck, I directed camera switches and important zoom-ins,” said Burnett. She explained that Spelman saw her interests outside of her major and provided her with an opportunity to explore.
Upon graduation, she plans to attend Tulane University to earn her master’s degree in fine arts. She’s interested in pursuing animation at an independent studio and crafting characters that represent the Black community.
UNCF is proud of our students and alumni who have received scholarships that help them continue their education and graduate. These scholarships are invaluable to students, and UNCF is accepting donations to support students like Gabrielle Burnett in their academic endeavors.