Raekwon Culver, a senior at Kean University, and Sa’id Daniel, a junior at William Paterson University, a college education once seemed out of reach. Coming to the rescue, the Newark Housing Authority Scholarship Foundation lent a helping hand in turning a dream into a reality.
“Due to the increase in tuition every year, without this scholarship continuing my education might not have been an option,” said Culver. “With the agency’s help and my strong, never quit mentality, I can honestly say I’ve made it and I’m very grateful for Newark Housing Authority. Thank you.”
For Sa’id Daniel, his family’s situation put his college plans even further out of reach.
“My mother is a section 8 Newark Housing Authority tenant who is disabled and on dialysis,” explained the business and financial planning major. “Because of my mother’s financial situation, I have been fortunate to get some financial aid and grants, but there is always a balance on my tuition. The Newark Housing Authority Promise Scholarship has paid a large portion of my tuition since I started college. Without the help from NHA scholarship program, I would be graduating college with a substantially larger student load debt.”
He added, “The Newark Housing Authority Promise Scholarship is a great program to assist Newark high school students who have the desire to achieve a college education, but not the financial means in having their dreams become reality. I hope this program is around for many more years.”
Culver and Daniel join more than 500 economically disadvantaged students who have been able to attend colleges and universities such as Spelman College, Rutgers University, Montclair State University, and University of Bridgeport, thanks to NHASF.
The Foundation has awarded in excess of $2,500,000 in scholarships since it was founded 30 years ago.
Keeping those dreams alive for talented Newark students, the Newark Housing Authority will host its 10th Annual Golf Classic, July 9, to raise funds for its Scholarship Foundation. The event takes place at the Essex County Club in West Orange.
Newark has one of the lowest high school graduation rates in the state, and that statistic is linked to poverty. For bright, achieving high school students, the means to reach the goal of a college degree is often blocked by a lack of financial resources. They often come from single parent households in tough, crime-plagued neighborhoods with low educational expectations.
For these students, attending college has become a life-changing experience, opening them up to new experiences otherwise unavailable to them.
Culver states, “Through my journey at Kean University, I have gained a new experience and have networked with many intelligent people. For anyone coming out my city, that is a beautiful thing. Newark Housing Authority scholarship helped me fund my education, which has allowed me to be
who I am today. Throughout my four years I have made it to the Dean lists. I am very involved on campus through the Student Government Organization and now I have officially started my own business Young Bosses, LLC.”
“For the last 30 years, the Newark Housing Authority has been committed to ensuring that the city’s children have access to higher education,” said Victor Cirilo, executive director for the Newark Housing Authority. “We believe that education is critical to breaking the cycle of poverty. The Scholarship Foundation increases the likelihood of these students to graduate college. They are often the first in their families to do so. Each year, we help these worthy students realize their dream, and we are proud to be part of the next chapter in their young lives as college freshmen.”
In addition to contests, prizes, raffles, and more, attendees have choices to support the Scholarship Foundation.
For more information or to register for the Golf Classic, visit the Newark Housing Authority at www.newarkha.org or email cristina@statesideaffairs.com.