Last week, I interviewed Rhea M. Watson of Scholarship Solutions, a Las Vegas-based organization that does much of the scholarship-finding legwork for you. I was astonished to learn that Watson and her team work with students who are young—to say the least.
As I wrote in a recent post, her youngest client is 6 months old.
North Carolina Legislative Black Caucus Foundation
Today I learned about the North Carolina Legislative Black Caucus Foundation, or NCLBCF, which provides need-based scholarships
to students attending the state’s 10 participating historically black colleges.It’s one way that the organization is chipping away at the $122 million in student loan debt carried by students attending HBCUs in the state. According to the NCLBCF website, that figure represents 21% of the state’s student loan debt although HBCU students make up only 7% of the state’s student population.
Such debt can be burdensome. NerdWallet reports that North Carolina’s students have a higher than average likelihood of defaulting on their student loans.
But here’s the thing: When you go on the NCLBCF website, college scholarships are available for high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors. It’s important to start young, as Watson says.
NCLBCF recently announced that Greg Lindberg, founder of the investment firm Eli Global, will serve as NCLBCF’s Signature Sponsor for the next five years to help the organization continue its important work.
“I am honored
that I have the opportunity to contribute to an organization that makes education more accessible for an underrepresented student population,” Lindberg says in a statement. “I look forward to helping the North Carolina Legislative Black Caucus Foundation create opportunities for students to make an impact in the community and in the world.”
Scholarships for North Carolina’s HBCU Students
NCLBCF was established in 1986 in response to the needs of HBCU students. The nonprofit has a 20-member board made up of private citizens as well as members of the North Carolina Legislative Black Caucus.
According to its website, “the organization’s goal is to provide scholarships to students at all 10 public and private Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in North Carolina. By implementing sound organizational systems, board members ensure that the Foundation operates with the highest levels of efficiency and effectiveness.”
Learn more and apply for scholarships at the NCLBCF website.