Sallie Mae Awards $250,000 in Scholarships to Expand Access to Higher Education

To commemorate National Scholarship Month, Sallie Mae, today announced the latest recipients of its Bridging the Dream Scholarship for High School Seniors. The Sallie Mae Fund -- the company's charitable arm -- has partnered with Thurgood Marshall College Fund for the last three years to award scholarships to deserving, under-resourced and underrepresented students.

"Expanding access and affordability is central to our mission at Sallie Mae and why we continue to offer scholarship programs that reach those students who often need the most support,” said Nic Jafarieh, executive vice president, Sallie Mae. “This year’s diverse and impressive Bridging the Dream scholarship recipients were selected from more than 1,100 applicants nationwide, and a majority are attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities.”

“Our commitment to students from historically underrepresented communities is realized through programs like The Sallie Mae Fund’s Bridging the Dream Scholarship,” said Dr. Harry L. Williams, president and CEO, Thurgood Marshall College Fund. “We are grateful for this ongoing partnership and shared mission of making higher education more accessible and affordable.”

This year’s Bridging the Dream Scholarship recipients are:

Mohamed Adam of New Hyde Park, N.Y., attending Stony Brook University

Nicholas Allen of Milton, Ga., attending North Carolina A&T State University

Ka’Mya Anderson of Horn Lake, Miss. attending Alabama A&M University

Azhyia Clemons of Rochester, N.Y., attending North Carolina A&T University

Madison Corzine of Fort Worth, Tex., attending Spelman College

Emery Delbridge of McDonough, Ga., attending Savannah State University

Devin Dixon of Ellenwood, Ga., attending Tuskegee University

Na’Zari Donegal-Pringle of Wilmington, Del., attending Delaware State University

Nyela Harrison of Hayward, Ca., attending Hampton University

Nakeia Jones of Conway, Ark., attending Middle Tennessee State University

Anna Kaplan of Centreville, Va., attending Oakland University

Victoria Latino of Mine Hill, N.J., attending Niagara University

Dominic Lee of Kennesaw, Ga., attending Clark Atlanta University

Marcellus Odum of Lake Cormorant, Miss., attending Georgia Institute of Technology

Matthew Payne of Jonesboro, Ga., attending Fort Valley State University

Nydia Phillips of Texas, Al., attending Southern University and A&M College

Andrew Pierre of Lanham, Md., attending Bowie State University

Reyna Porter of Lithonia, Ga., attending Howard University

Chayil Rattler of Stockbridge, Ga., attending Jackson State University

Tyson Redding of Fontana, Ca., attending University of Hawaii of Manoa

Milan Rothe of Lakeway, Tex., attending Howard University

Maya Stepnick of Toledo, Ohio, attending The Ohio State University

Sienna Stewart of Gahanna, Ohio, attending Kentucky State University

Jared Wilder of North Charleston, S.C., attending Hampton University

Sydney Wright of Richmond, Va., attending Norfolk State University

Alexander Young of Douglasville, Ga., attending Morehouse College

Makaila Young of Oswego, Ill., attending Xaver University of Louisiana

“Receiving the Bridging the Dream Scholarship allows me to pursue the education I need to achieve my goal of becoming a journalist,” said scholarship recipient Chayil Rattler. “I also get to enjoy the rich culture and HBCU traditions without worrying about the financial burden on my parents.”