Sheena Palmer of the Bronx, NY, is a recipient of the HBCU Sustainable Communities Initiative scholarship, administered by UNCF. Palmer is a graduating senior at Virginia Union University (VUU), one of UNCF’s member institutions, where she is pursuing a degree in mathematics secondary education.

The HBCU Sustainable Communities Initiative scholarship, supports students majoring in STEM, business and sustainability-related disciplines, provides them with internships and pairs them with mentors from the Southern Company.

“The UNCF scholarship has allowed me to focus more on the rigorous programming for my mathematics secondary education degree rather than how I am able to afford the required classes that will allow me to graduate on time,” she said.

As a dedicated advocate for UNCF scholarships and programs, Palmer pays it forward by actively promoting opportunities to students across campus. She became a UNCF ambassador in 2024, providing interactive workshops for VUU students to learn resume writing and scholarship strategies.

“UNCF has afforded me the opportunities to share key college grants and programming information with other students at VUU,” she said. “I am also able to share applicable information with high school students, which helps me practice presenting in the high school classroom setting.”

Beyond the financial support of UNCF scholarships, Palmer gained the confidence to return back to school and finish earning her degree. “My UNCF experience has helped me accept that I am not too old to accomplish my dreams,” she shared. “It has given me the toolbox that allows me to encourage other nontraditional students to return to school.”

Palmer’s connection to VUU started before she enrolled. Her siblings attended the university, and she would travel from their home in New York to visit her older sister on campus. During her campus visits, she had the chance to explore college life and envision a better life for herself and her family.

She started her college journey at Hartwick College in Oneonta, NY, but paused her education. After starting a family, becoming a military veteran and launching businesses, Palmer realized that to advance her career in education, she needed to finish her degree. With encouragement from friends, family and VUU alumni board members, she transferred in 2023 to VUU as a sophomore, enrolling alongside her son who was a freshman.

“I knew that when I decided to go back to school, I wanted to feel at home with extended aunties and uncles that we call professors,” she said. “I wanted to have an educational and Christian-faith-filled experience that was tailored to my specific needs as a single parent with a high school student and a first-year college student. Virginia Union University met all of these needs.”

Her most memorable experience on campus was participating in a one-week program at Jacksonville State University (JSU) in Summer 2024, where she helped to develop math lab curriculums for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). During the week-long program, Palmer, alongside other students, developed lesson plans and mission statements for JSU,  which the university turned into math labs that feed into their TRIO program. The U.S. Department of Education’s TRIO program includes eight student servicesinitiatives that support individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds in progressing from middle school to postbaccalaureate programs. After the success of the math lab curriculum at JSU, it was implemented at VUU and now provides math tutoring to college students and nontraditional students.

After graduation, Palmer plans to pursue a master’s degree in applied mathematics and a doctoral degree in mathematical curriculum and design. She’s passionate about creating a math curriculum at the federal level that’s equitable and accessible for all students. Her approach integrates innovative instruction and technology while connecting theory to real-word application, closing the learning gap.

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 Sheena Palmer in their academic endeavors.  

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