2024 Scholarships
Fueling our students drive
At ECOC, we are deeply committed to breaking down barriers that hinder children of color and children of poverty from accessing quality education and achieving their full potential. Central to this commitment is our dedication to providing scholarships for deserving students, empowering them to pursue higher education.
ECOC has awarded more than half a million dollars in scholarships and educational gifts since the first Summit.
$98,000 in scholarships were awarded at the Summit on January 13, 2024, at Colorado College.
All of our scholarships are now closed.
Opportunities
OHE Scholarship – Construction and Skilled Trades
Description
Oros Home Enhancements, LLC is sponsoring one $1,000 scholarship for individuals who are interested in pursuing a career in construction and skilled trades.
Prompt
Describe a world without skilled trades. How would we function as a society? Please address your intent to pursue a career in construction or other skilled trades.
Guidelines
Submissions should be at least one page double spaced and use proper spelling and grammar. The essay should be double-spaced, use a legible font (e.g. Times New Roman) and have a font size of 12 pt.
The essay should be marked with the student’s name, age, grade, school, phone number, and email address.
Elgibility
Juniors, seniors, high school students concurrently enrolled in college, and undergraduate college students.
George Harris Memorial Scholarship-Construction and Skilled Trade
Description
The George Harris Memorial Scholarship is sponsored by GE Johnson and is a $1,000 scholarship for someone interested in a career in construction. Submissions must be essays.
Prompt
All submissions should directly address the student’s interest in the construction field and how the student would pursue a career in that field.
Guidelines
Submissions should be at least one page double spaced and use proper spelling and grammar. The essay should be double-spaced, use a legible font (e.g. Times New Roman) and have a font size of 12 pt.
The essay should be marked with the student’s name, age, grade, school, phone number, and email address.
Elgibility
Juniors, seniors, high school students concurrently enrolled in college, and undergraduate college students.
Sherman and Howard Law School Scholarship – Undergraduate College Students
Description
Sherman and Howard Law Firm is sponsoring one $5,000 scholarship for an undergraduate student interested in going to Law School. Submissions must be essays.
Prompt
All submissions should directly address the student’s interest in attending law school and how the student would pursue a career in that field.
Guidelines
Submissions should be at least one page double spaced and use proper spelling and grammar. The essay should be double-spaced, use a legible font (e.g. Times New Roman) and have a font size of 12 pt.
The essay should be marked with the student’s name, age, grade, school, phone number, and email address.
Elgibility
Individuals who will be entering law school during the fall of 2025.
STEAM Scholarships
Description
Five (5) $10,000 STEAM scholarships will be awarded.
Prompt
STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. Why STEAM? What drew you to a career in STEAM? What are your career aspirations?
Guidelines
Submissions may be poetry, an essay, performance art, a piece of art, a video, an experiment, etc. If the submission is an essay, be at least one page double spaced and use proper spelling and grammar. The essay should be double-spaced, uses a legible font (e.g. Times New Roman) and have a font size of 12 pt.
All submissions should be marked with the student’s name, age, grade, school, phone number, and email address.
Elgibility
Juniors and seniors
Rhonda Campbell Memorial Scholarship
Description
One (1) $2,000 scholarship will be awarded.
Submissions must be essays. Rhonda Campbell served on the Board of Directors for Educating Children of Color, Inc. for more than 5 years until she was stricken by cancer. She worked tirelessly with D49 high school students with special needs. She was active in her church, Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church working in several ministries. She was passionate about education and coordinated and chaperoned a bi-annual college tour of HBCUs for students from across Denver and Colorado Springs. This scholarship is to honor her legacy.
Prompt
Choose one of the following prompts:
Describe one (or more) aspects of your culture that has influenced your goals.
How will a college degree prepare you to be a better citizen of the world?
Guidelines
Submissions should be at least one page double spaced and use proper spelling and grammar. The essay should be double-spaced, uses a legible font (e.g. Times New Roman) and have a font size of 12 pt.
The essay should be marked with the student’s name, age, grade, school, phone number, and email address.
Elgibility
Juniors, seniors, high school students concurrently enrolled in college, and undergraduate college students.
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Scholarship
Description
Two (2) $2,500 scholarships will be awarded. Submissions must be essays.
Prompt
Choose on of the following prompts:
What do you consider to be the single most important societal problem? Why?
What are your future aspirations and how will the degree you plan to pursue enable you to achieve those aspirations?
Guidelines
Submissions should be at least one page double-spaced and use proper spelling and grammar. The essay should be double-spaced, use a legible font (e.g. Times New Roman) and have a font size of 12 pt.
The essay should be marked with the student’s name, age, grade, school, phone number, and email address.
Elgibility
Juniors, seniors, high school students concurrently enrolled in college, and undergraduate college students.
Edna Williams Memorial Scholarship
Description
One (1) $2,000 scholarship will be awarded.
Submissions must be essays. Edna Williams was a teacher who changed the lives of hundreds of students throughout her 45-year career. She taught for Harrison School District 2 and was a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
Prompt
Choose one of the following:
Describe why community service is important. How has community service impacted your life or community?
Describe an influential adult in your life? How did they impact your educational goals and/or your outlook on education?
Guidelines
Submissions should be at least one page double-spaced and use proper spelling and grammar. The essay should be double-spaced, use a legible font (e.g. Times New Roman) and have a font size of 12 pt.
The essay should be marked with the student’s name, age, grade, school, phone number, and email address.
Elgibility
Juniors, seniors, high school students concurrently enrolled in college, and undergraduate college students.
Beauty Bar Scholarship-Careers in Cosmetology
Description
Beauty Bar is sponsoring two $1,000 scholarships for individuals interested in cosmetology. Submissions must be essays.
Prompt
All submissions should directly address the student’s interest in cosmetology and how the student would pursue a career in that field.
Guidelines
Submissions should be at least one page double-spaced and use proper spelling and grammar. The essay should be double-spaced, use a legible font (e.g. Times New Roman), and have a font size of 12 pt.
The essay should be marked with the student’s name, age, grade, school, phone number, and email address.
Elgibility
Juniors, seniors, high school students concurrently enrolled in college, and undergraduate college students.
Ann Delores Scott Memorial Scholarship for Single Mothers
Description
The Ann Delores Scott Memorial Scholarship is sponsored by Tracy Scott. Three $500 scholarships will be awarded to single mothers who are interested in pursuing higher education. Submissions must be essays.
Prompt
How has being a single mother influenced your desire to pursue a higher education?
What struggles do you anticipate you may encounter, and how will you overcome them?
Guidelines
Submissions should be at least one page double spaced and use proper spelling and grammar. The essay should be double-spaced, use a legible font (e.g. Times New Roman) and have a font size of 12 pt.
The essay should be marked with the student’s name, age, grade, school, phone number, and email address.
Elgibility
Single mothers who are juniors, seniors, high school students concurrently enrolled in college, undergraduate college students, and graduate students.
2024 ECOC Annual Summit Theme Scholarship
Description
Five theme scholarships will be awarded: one grand prize in the amount of $5,000, and four runners-up in the amount of $3,000.
Prompt
The 2024 prompt is “Everybody Welcome,” based on the life and legacy of Fannie Mae Duncan.
Feel free to draw inspiration from or answer one of these questions: How does the quote explain your perspective on equity and justice? How did Fannie Mae Duncan increase equity in Colorado Springs and the wider world?
*Please note that submissions do not have to answer one of the suggested prompts but must address the 2024 theme and how it impacts them or their view of the world.
Guidelines
"Submissions may be poetry, an essay, performance art, a piece of art, a video, an experiment, etc. If the submission is an essay, be at least one page double spaced and use proper spelling and grammar. The essay should be double-spaced, use a legible font (e.g. Times New Roman) and have a font size of 12 pt.
All submissions should be marked with the student’s name, age, grade, school, phone number, and email address."email address.
Elgibility
Juniors, seniors, high school students concurrently enrolled in college, and undergraduate college students.
$530k in scholarships awarded to date
We firmly believe that education is the key to dismantling the cradle-to-prison pipeline, and scholarships are a vital tool in this mission. These scholarships not only open doors to academic excellence but also pave the way for a brighter, more equitable future.
Join us in championing education as a pathway to transformation and together, we can create lasting change.
