Empower My Hood + Scholarship America: Partners in Knowledge

On March 28th, Scholarship America had the pleasure to participate in a Financing College Workshop hosted by Empower My Hood (EMH). EMH is a Queens, New York-based nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing college access and success; they are committed to creating opportunities for the next generation, and have a mission “to equip students and their families with the knowledge and the tools necessary to be successful in college and their chosen careers.”

The Financing College Workshop was geared toward parents with children in high school, providing them with a number of ways to help reduce the financial burden of attending college.

EMH’s Vanessa L. Sparks, who has assisted families with the college admission and financial aid process for 25 years, delivered a session that educated parents on the financial aid process—particularly FAFSA, TAP, and the CSS Profile. Kerry O’Brien of Scholarship America followed with a presentation about private scholarships, including our database of more than 1,300 unique programs and our community-driven Dollars for Scholars Network.

Session attendees appreciated the broad overview of the often-confusing world of financial aid. Parent Deisy Katherine Villavicencio said she attended because she hadn’t had access to this kind of information when she was in school, and “wanted to be proactive” for her daughter. Villavicencio said that she hopes her daughter attends a college that “isn’t too expensive and provides her the support she needs.”

Kerry also spoke with high school sophomore Olivia Howard, who wants to get a head start learning about scholarships since she views college as a chance for “new opportunities and new experiences.”

No matter where students are in their educational journey, scholarships are a vital piece of the puzzle—and community organizations like Empower My Hood are crucial when it comes to connecting families to financial aid and support resources. We send our thanks to Empower My Hood and all the parents and students who attended!