Three of the scholarship awardees

NWI Urban League luncheon honors student achievements

Contributed By: Dr. Vanessa Allen-McCloud, NWI Urban League Executive Director

Young people from all over Northwest Indiana, who have been working hard to achieve their academic goals, were rewarded with scholarship monies that will help them cover the ever-mounting costs of a post-secondary education. The students were excited and exuberant about the acknowledgement of the community on their futures in higher learning and career goals.

On May 21, 2019, the Urban League’s Annual Student Achievement Luncheon was held at The Chateau Banquet Hall, located at 530 W. 61st, Avenue in Merrillville.

Jennifer Montague, NIPSCO Vice President of Communications and External Affairs brought greetings and presented NIPSCO scholarships to deserving students in recognition of the late Indiana State Senator Carolyn Mosby. Scholarships were offered by organizations such as The Gary Frontiers Service Club and the National Hook Up of Black Women.

Individuals offered scholarships on behalf of their families. Carlton Guthrie – Gary Alumni Pathway to Students (GAPS) Board Chairman – gave a $1000 scholarship. Other donors included Tai Adkins, Kendall Martin, and Robert Buggs with gifts ranging between $500 and $1000.

Dr. Thomas Keon, Chancellor of Purdue University Northwest and Board Chair of the Urban League affiliate encouraged students to plan for success. “Be flexible in pursuing your goals but make sure to maintain your ties to your communities. Stay actively engaged. You exemplify the Urban League’s core standards of community service, diversity and scholarship in Northwest Indiana.”

Through the League’s college readiness programs, workshops are held in Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties to help students plan for and obtain the proper coursework in high school.

Dr. Kendall R. Martin and his wife committed to offering a $1000 scholarship to a student because they wanted to give back to the community. After reviewing the scholarship applications and seeing the need, they plan to give an additional $500 to another student.

“The Urban League has been a great external resource for me. Working in education, I value community partnerships because they allow our students to experience opportunities outside of the school district,” Dr. Martin said. He serves as an Urban League Advisory Board member and is the new Executive Director of the GAPS program.

In 2018, the Urban League reported $4.7 million in student scholarships.

The Urban League Board of Directors, Staff, and Volunteers applaud and honor all of our students, the adults who work with them and the families that support them. The time and energy and devotion this takes are at times difficult but are well worth the effort.

On behalf of the Urban League Board of Directors, we are proud to be in the forefront of changing the educational landscape in as many ways as we can.

Thanks to everyone who continues to make a difference.

For more information, contact Dr. Vanessa Allen-McCloud at (219) 887-9621.


Urban League’s Annual Student Achievement Luncheon was held at The Chateau Banquet Hall

Story Posted:05/27/2019