Our Story
What #BLACKANDHOODED hopes to do is to show the world that Black master's and doctoral students not only exist, but also GRADUATE! We hope this initiative inspires Black graduate students to continue to do the work that they do, invoke a fire that makes them want to continue on in your education, connects them with individuals who are in the same field of interest, and most importantly, serve as a reminder of the greatness that is being Black. Thank you for supporting the scholarship fund to help maximize the representation of Black scholars across all academic disciplines!
Our Project
The #BLACKANDHOODED Scholarship Fund seeks to promote academic excellence and degree attainment by creating an opportunity to alleviate financial burden for incoming Black Graduate students. It is our hope that the various scholarships that are awarded will help diversify this realm of higher education, our generation's future scholars and professionals and those to follow. Eligible applicants include incoming Black graduate students pursuing advanced degrees starting this 2017-2018 academic year. We are asking our family, friends, colleagues and community members to make a contribution of any amount to award 4 incoming graduate students with a $250 scholarship. Every donation matters and with your help and support we know that we can reach this goal!
Why It Matters
#BLACKANDHOODED was created to acknowledge and celebrate the great achievement that is earning an advanced degree. Too often, as Black scholars advance through academia, the number of people who look like them in their classes decrease. Of Black students who hold bachelor's degrees, just 36% earn advanced degrees, and in 2015 8% of Black folk 25 or older held an advanced degree (U.S. Census Bureau). That same year only 13% of master's degree recipients were Black. The gap between white and Black 25 to 29 year olds is widening, and from 2000-2016 this gap increased from 2 to 5 percent (National Center for Education Statistics).
Our Team
Co-Founder Anthony Wright is a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and received his bachelor's in business administration at The University of Wisconsin-Madison and presently serves as a Career Advisor at the Wisconsin School of Business. He obtained his Master's of Education in Higher Education and Student Affairs from Indiana University.
Co-Founder Brian Allen hails from Waukesha, Wisconsin and received his bachelor's degree in English Linguistics and Spanish Language from the great state University of Wisconsin-Madison. Brian Allen obtained his Master's degree in Higher and Postsecondary Education at Teachers College, Columbia University where he is currently pursuing his doctorate.
