D’Shawn Thomas is a freshman at the University of North Caroline (UNC) Chapel
Hill. He began his career journey early by graduating from a college high school
with an associate degree and a high school diploma. His recommendation letter
says that he is a student that exemplifies a high level of intelligence and academic
skills. He maintained a 3.9 unweighted and 4.5 weighed high school GPA and a
4.0 college GPA.
His goal is to make a difference in the world by helping others overcome mental
illness. He wants to become a psychologist. D’Shawn understands the meaning
of giving back and helping others. Currently, he is volunteering at the Carolina
Living and Learning Center Facility where he cares for adults with intellectual
disabilities by helping them learn, participate, and socialize in varying activities.
COVID-19 in his junior and senior years in high school was devastating to many of
his friends because of the lockdown. He decided to put a plan into action and
made time to call people or invite them to play video games online. He is
determined to push through and complete the tasks to become a psychologist.
2023 Special Award Recipients - $500
Leric Scriber attends Temple University where she is a freshman. She wants to
become an Oral Surgeon and focus on the minority communities who lack
education surrounding oral health. Once she achieves her goal, she will ensure
that those around her are educated, healthy, and smiling with their pearly whites.
She has volunteered with the ARC of Southern Maryland where she organized a
meal delivery event for the residential homes that belonged to the ARC. She
mentioned that volunteering for The ARC reaffirmed her love for helping the
community.
“Giving Others A Dream” means providing hope to anyone who needs it and
advocating for those who can’t begin or complete their dream on their own. It
means always nurturing a safe environment so that others can feel that their
dreams are worth chasing, and most importantly, obtaining. In other words, she
said that “Giving Others A Dream” simply means lifting others when all the world
seems to be doing is pushing them down.
Mekhi Corbin is a freshman at North Caroline A&T State University where he will earn a bachelor’s degree in finance. His mission is to empower people to take control of their financial lives, by providing personalized financial planning and advisory services. Mekhi’s strong leadership skills were instilled in him since childhood. He has volunteered in many capacities, such as a junior leader in a Men Mentorship program where he assisted underprivileged individuals. He also volunteered at a Men’s Homeless Shelter in Washington D. C. through a non-profit organization. He said that volunteering at the shelter boosted his confidence, provided a sense of pride, and made him feel accomplished.
To him “Giving Others A Dream means creating an opportunity for individuals to envision a brighter future for themselves. It means providing support, encouragement, and resources to help them achieve their goals and aspirations. It's about showing care and empathy and helping people overcome obstacles so they can realize their full potential.
Arianna Hawkins is currently majoring in architecture at the University of North
Carolina at Charlotte. She is in her second year and looking to acquire her
bachelor’s and master’s degrees in architecture. After obtaining her license, she
wants to advocate for change and design sustainability. She said we must find
new ways to design buildings, such as using materials with a longer lifespan,
incorporating plants, and using passive design strategies, to preserve the
resources on earth and decrease our carbon footprint. Along with making new
buildings sustainable, she wants to assist with redesigning minority communities
while keeping them accessible.
Another goal of Arianna is to create safe spaces and shelters for people who are
homeless. She wants to design a place where they can feel comfortable when
hard times have struck. To give others a dream means to uplift them in many
ways such as being kind or taking a chance on someone. It can also be as simple
as inspiring someone or giving them the support that they may not have. As a
young black woman, she said it is extremely important because black people get
overlooked in many spaces, and all it takes is one kind person to completely
change the trajectory of someone's life.
2022 College Scholarship Recipients - $1,500
Mya Lee - Elon Univ.
Joshua Whitsett - Regent Univ.
Joshua Whitsett - Regent Univ.
Joshua Whitsett - Regent Univ.
Joshua Whitsett - Regent Univ.
Joshua Whitsett - Regent Univ.
Asia Woodard - Spelman College
Joshua Whitsett - Regent Univ.
Asia Woodard - Spelman College
Our college care packages are extra special because we solicit input from the students for specific snacks, health and beauty, haircare, school supplies, and other items that they would like to receive. Some students find that once they're away from home, they are unable to locate some of their favorite items.
