scholarships

2025

Pearl Foundation

Scholarship

Scholarship Application Deadline: March 7, 2025

About

Scholarship

On January 15, 1908, Ethel Hedgemon Lyle and fifteen young African American women fulfilled their dream when Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated was founded at Howard University in Washington, DC. Since 1908, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated has implemented programs of service impacting countless lives.Within the mission of service, the international theme for 2022 to 2026 is Soaring to Greater Heights of Service & Sisterhood. Under this theme there are six initiatives: Empower Our Families, Build Our Economic Wealth, Enhance Our Environment, Advocate for Social Justice, and Uplift Our Local Community. Our “Foundation Initiative” is Strengthen Our Sisterhood as we strengthen our bonds to support our service mission. Members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Iota Lambda Omega Chapter will address community needs using the six initiatives as their guide.The Pearl Foundation Scholarship supports the Educational Enrichment programs of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Iota Lambda Omega Chapter.

Selection

Criteria

All applications will be evaluated on the following criteria:

Applicants must be Howard County residents but do not have to attend a Howard County high school.
Applicants must be high school seniors.
If selected, applicants must be officially enrolled in a 2- or 4-year postsecondary institution the semester immediately following the date of the Pearl Foundation Scholarship award to receive the funds.
Immediate family members of Pearl Foundation, Inc. members and Iota Lambda Omega Chapter members are ineligible to apply for scholarships. Immediate family members are defined as children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, in-laws, adopted, half and step members. Immediate family members of other Alpha Kappa Alpha members are eligible to apply if they meet the eligibility criteria.
Applicants selected by the scholarship committee will be invited for an interview.

Application

Items

All applications must submit the following:

Completed Application Form
Resume that includes:
- Academic Achievements
- Awards and Recognition(s)
- School and Community activities
- Leadership positions held
An official transcript including 1st semester senior grades
Two reference letters (1) from a guidance counselor or teacher (on school letterhead), and (1) from community member that includes contact information (Recommendations can be uploaded to: https://forms.gle/kxUfnfUemBa9oy7Z9 )
A 150-500-word essay(s) appropriate for the scholarship you are applying

Those applicants with the highest scoring applications will be interviewed before a panel and based on the panelist decisions, one applicant will be chosen.

Important Note: Applicants will be evaluated based on academic achievement, school activities, community service, a recommendation letter, and essay(s). The status of scholarship applications will be available to all applicants by Friday, April 4, 2025. (Incomplete applications will not be considered.)

Important Dates

Application
Opens

The application will be available starting January 1, 2025.

Application Deadline

Completed applications must be submitted by March 7, 2025, to be considered.

Status
Notices

Status of scholarship application will be available to all applicants by April 4, 2025.

2025 Scholarship Recipients

Autumn Wilkerson

Wilde Lake High School

Pearl Foundation Scholar

Pearl Foundation, Inc. Book Award

Donor:

$1,000.00

Azeemah Odusanya

Reservoir High School

Pearl Foundation Scholar

Pearl Foundation, Inc. Book Award

Donor:

$1,000.00

Betania Adane

Atholton High School

Pearl Foundation Scholar

Pearl Foundation, Inc. STEAM Scholarship

Donor:

$10,000.00

Camille Wimberly

Pearl Foundation Scholar

Pearl Foundation, Inc. Current College Student Scholarship

Donor:

$2,000.00

Christine Roschy

Howard High School

Pearl Foundation Scholar

Pearl Foundation, Inc. Book Award

Donor:

$1,000.00

Clifton Weaver

Centennial High School

Pearl Foundation Scholar

Pearl Foundation, Inc. Evolving Scholar Scholarship

Donor:

$2,000.00

Jayson Clarke

Atholton High School

Pearl Foundation Scholar

Pearl Foundation, Inc. STEAM Scholarship

Donor:

$2,000.00

Jessica Apana-Korley

Hammond High School

Pearl Foundation Scholar

Pearl Foundation, Inc. HBCU Scholarship

Donor:

$1,500.00

Joy Ngundi

Howard High School

Pearl Foundation Scholar

Pearl Foundation, Inc. Standing for Change Scholarship

Donor:

$2,000.00

Kelsey Mason

Atholton High School

Pearl Foundation Scholar

Pearl Foundation, Inc. Leadership and Dedication in Athletics Scholarship

Donor:

$2,000.00

Lailah Goldring

Oakland Mills High school

Pearl Foundation Scholar

Pearl Foundation, Inc. STEAM Scholarship

Donor:

$2,000.00

Mikayla Tyer

Howard High School

Pearl Foundation Scholar

Pearl Foundation, Inc. Book Award

Donor:

$1,000.00

Orevaoghene (Joyce) Eru

Oakland Mills High school

Pearl Foundation Scholar

Pearl Foundation, Inc. Local Community College Scholarship - First Time Student

Donor:

$2,000.00

Paige Newton

Mt. Hebron High School

Pearl Foundation Scholar

Pearl Foundation, Inc. Black Eyed Susan Scholarship

Donor:

$3,000.00

Tamenech Quigley

Long Reach High School

Pearl Foundation Scholar

Pearl Foundation, Inc. Standing for Change Scholarship

Donor:

$2,000.00

Alison Bent

Hammond High School

Pearl Foundation Donor Scholarship

NexGen Health Professionals Scholarship Honoring Anna V. Waters Scholarship

Donor:

Ava Baker, Cheryl Waters-Hassan, family & friends

$2,000.00

Allyson Mackey

Mt. Hebron High School

Pearl Foundation Donor Scholarship

Annie G. . Henry Memorial Book Award

Donor:

Chanelle Jones

$500.00

Arianna Gibson

Howard High School

Pearl Foundation Donor Scholarship

Wilbert and Lillie Dozier Scholarship

Donor:

April Tucker

$1,000.00

Avery Celestin

Atholton High School

Pearl Foundation Donor Scholarship

LaVarne Burton HBCU Scholarship

Donor:

LaVarne Burton

$5,000.00

Esther Olaleye

Reservoir High School

Pearl Foundation Donor Scholarship

1990 Bradford Engineering Scholarship

Donor:

Sophie Bradford

$2,000.00

Ethan Shaw

Marriotts Ridge High School

Pearl Foundation Donor Scholarship

Rev. Dr. Dorothy J. Franklin Memorial Scholarship

Donor:

Myra Smith

$1,000.00

James Obasiolu

Atholton High School

Pearl Foundation Donor Scholarship

Claudia M. Gaines Scholarship

Donor:

Claudia M. Gaines

$6,000.00

Jason Young, Jr.

Long Reach High School

Pearl Foundation Donor Scholarship

Joan Hash HBCU Scholarship

Donor:

Joan Hash

$2,500.00

Julia Patricia Cabacar

River Hill High School

Pearl Foundation Donor Scholarship

Dr. Robert J. Booth Health Sciences Memorial Scholarship

Donor:

Lenora Booth

$2,000.00

Kailyn Brown

Howard High School

Pearl Foundation Donor Scholarship

Glance Forward Scholarship

Donor:

Gail Chevalier Hubbard

$1,500.00

Mariah Taylor

Howard High School

Pearl Foundation Donor Scholarship

Maurice La June Crouse Scholarship

Donor:

Lynn Coleman

$1,000.00

Nailah Manogin

Howard High School

Pearl Foundation Donor Scholarship

Yvonne Harrison HBCU Scholarship

Donor:

Yvonne Harrison

$1,000.00

Oluwalonimi (Tabitha) Oluwabuyi

Reservoir High School

Pearl Foundation Donor Scholarship

Rudolph J. and Constance W. Jordan (STEM) Scholarship

Donor:

Cynthia Jones, Sandra Jordan

$1,500.00

Rab Naeem

Howard High School

Pearl Foundation Donor Scholarship

Norvice Goodwin Penny Performing Arts Book Award

Donor:

Andrea Moore

$500.00

Sophia Carothers

Howard High School

Pearl Foundation Donor Scholarship

Rosalyn Terborg-Penn Memorial Scholarship

Donor:

Spring 2021 Line (Cheryl Waters Hassan

$2,000.00

Victoria Lufadeju

Long Reach High School

Pearl Foundation Donor Scholarship

Queenie Walls-Randall Memorial Book Award

Donor:

April Randall

$500.00

Cambel Howard

Virginia Tech

College Student Donor Scholarships

2013 Line - Phenom3na1 Pearls Book Award

Donor:

2013 AKA ILO LINE

$500.00

Connie Rogers

Hampton University

College Student Donor Scholarships

2013 Line - Phenom3na1 Pearls Book Award

Donor:

2013 AKA ILO LINE

$500.00

Rebekah Osei-Nsafoah

University of Maryland, College Park

College Student Donor Scholarships

Jean West Lewis Scholarship

Donor:

Jean Lewis

$2,000.00

Saniya Evans

Maryland Institute College of Art

College Student Donor Scholarships

Ruby Watson Marshall Memorial Scholarship

Donor:

Linda Marshall

$1,000.00