UNCF Scholarships Support Students Beyond Financial Need

Graduating debt-free, with fully funded tuition and reduced living expenses are major benefits students can receive from scholarships. But there is another positive that can be easily overlooked—increased self-confidence.

Justice Georgie was awarded the Walt Disney Company scholarship, which supports underrepresented college students pursuing careers in the entertainment industry. UNCF donors make scholarships like this one possible.

Growing up in Baltimore, MD, Georgie was well aware of the stressors in his community that were not conducive to positive mental health outcomes. He recalled that one part of town has four jails sitting within walking distance from each other, clearly visible to the community. “You wake up, and you see the jail,” he said. Conditions like these can affect students’ ability to see a successful future for themselves. This is why scholarships are so important: they can boost a young person’s self-esteem by giving them a sense of accomplishment and recognition, as Georgie experienced.

UNCF’s scholarship boosted Georgie’s reputation at Morgan State University (MSU). “I had cultivated a name for myself at Morgan State University,” he said. “But I think there was a difference between my name at my University versus my name in my department. It was like, ‘Hello, sir, you know you’ve been a talk of the town.’ I’ve never heard that in my life before, right? And I could only, of course, really thank UNCF.”

UNCF’s scholarship helped Georgie to overcome financial hardship and obtain a bachelor’s degree, which positively affected his relationship with peers in his community. “People respect me,” he explained. “I don’t have to do anything else in my life. The fact that I have a bachelor’s degree, you know, I’m solidified with them.”

Scholarships amplify students’ strengths and help them feel a sense of belonging by bolstering their inclusion within the community. UNCF donations not only fund individual scholarship programs, but they also offer institutional support to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), which are underfunded.

HBCUs are well-suited to offering a supportive environment to a diverse student population. Georgie experienced this well before he was even a student at MSU: he attended a summer camp called Brother 2 Brother, which was hosted by the university. This camp exposed him to the positive camaraderie of men. “Seeing so many positive faces that look just like me really encouraged me,” he shared. “I was like, ‘man, when I grow up, I have to go there one day.’” This desire eventually became a reality for Georgie.

Attending MSU was a full-circle moment for Georgie. Thanks to the scholarship he received from UNCF, he was able to carry on a legacy of stewardship. As a resident assistant, Georgie became a mentor to young men living in the dorm, many of whom were far from home—an experience Georgie referred to as his proudest moment.

Georgie’s journey sheds light on the importance of scholarships like those offered by UNCF—they can serve as pathways for students to become change agents in their communities. Donors are uniquely positioned to have a direct impact on the mental health of young people, an effect that can take root and spread through generations.

To UNCF donors, Georgie said: “I honestly feel, with their love offering, that they’re really helping make the world a better place. I know they made mine a better place, I’ll tell you that.”

UNCF offers more than 12,000 scholarships annually, and donations are vital to the organization’s continued efforts to aid students and the schools they attend.