Dillard University Grad Dreams of Social Justice Reform in the Criminal Justice System

“For every ‘no’ there are a million ‘yeses’”

UNCF is proud of current students and alumni who have received scholarships that help them continue their education and graduate from university. These scholarships are invaluable to students. We are always accepting donations to support students like Shermaine Scipio in their academic endeavors. Donate today, and read on to learn about one scholar’s journey.

Shermaine Scipio, a recent graduate of Dillard University in New Orleans, LA, one of UNCF’s member HBCUs, received the Gayle and Tom Benson Endowed UNCF Scholarship Fund. The scholarship offers financial assistance to undergraduates attending an accredited four-year institution. Qualified students must reside in or be permanent residents of Louisiana, underrepresented minorities, have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have demonstrated unmet financial need verified by their college or university.

“Through UNCF, I left Dillard debt free and never paid one dollar,” she said. “I didn’t have to take out any loans, or find an extra job, or go to school part time.”

“Getting a scholarship through UNCF helped me through school because I didn’t have to worry about that financial burden,” she continued. “Thinking about finances affects you mentally and affects everything else, including your academics. I was able to focus on my work, studies and internships. I am forever grateful.”

Scipio paid for community college out of pocket and intended to do the same for Dillard. But after attending a UNCF webinar, she “applied to as many scholarships as I was eligible for,” she said.

She was incredibly persistent in searching for and applying to scholarships, and hopes students will not let a rejection keep them from continuously applying for financial aid.

“For every ‘no’ there are a million ‘yeses’,” she said. “Keep trying and don’t give up. When you give up too soon, you miss opportunities and miss your blessings.”

Scipio graduated summa cum laude from Dillard this May. She first attended community college in 2007, pausing to focus on being a single mom. When her daughter entered college (her daughter is a biology major at Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, LA), Scipio decided to return as well, first receiving her associate’s degree from Delgado Community College and then starting at Dillard in 2022.

“I was entering college with kids who were my daughter’s age,” she explained. “It was a struggle for me to try to keep up. I had been out of high school since 2001. That’s why I started at a community college. When I did get to Dillard, I was nontraditional student, a majority of my classes were online.”

“It takes some people 6, 8, 10 years to get a degree,” she said. “Don’t let anybody put a timeframe on when you’re going to get your degree. It should be your time, your speed.”

Scipio even became a UNCF ambassador, presenting her experiences and discussing scholarships during a webinar. She encourages high school students planning to attend HBCUs to apply for scholarships and attend financial and literacy webinars.

“Those workshops advertise scholarships and internship opportunities,” she explained. “There are funds for graduate students, too. There are people willing to give funds for every step of education.”

Since community college, Scipio has been researching criminal behavior and elements of crime. At Dillard, she was a member of the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice, the criminal justice honors society and interned with Be the Change, a nonprofit assisting recently released individuals from prison with their transition back into society.

“My passion for social justice fuels my desire to contribute positively to the community,” she said. “My ultimate career goal is to promote social justice reform within the criminal justice system.”

Now, Scipio is working with the New Orleans Family Justice Center on issues of domestic violence, sex trafficking and rape. She will also be attending Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) for graduate studies. She was accepted to three schools, but ultimately decided to attend Southern, an HBCU, since it will offer her many opportunities for internships, scholarships, grants and funding.

“I will be pursuing social work, criminal justice work from a social standpoint,” she explained. “I would like to be working with ex-offenders, people who have been recently released from jail or rehab.”

“We need more support for individuals who have crossed paths with the law and are able to be rehabilitated; not people who have committed heinous crimes but those who can be restored, have relationships with communities, or pay retribution or get substance abuse counseling,” Scipio said. “Once we get more support for them, we can reduce recidivism, crime and domestic violence. People can change the course of their lives.”

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