WATAC Scholarship

The WATAC Scholarship

The Washington DC Area Tougaloo Alumni Chapter (WATAC) Scholarship(s) will be awarded annually to deserving Tougaloo College students who preferably hold residency in Washington, D.C., Maryland, or Virginia. Also, the WATAC Scholarship Team is promoting efforts to aid in the recruitment of Community College Transfers and encouraging them to apply.

Criteria

  • Applicant must be enrolled as a full time student, 12 credit hours or more, in the fall of the academic year. High school seniors and Community College transfer students must provide proof of acceptance.

Eligibility Requirements

  1. Be a high school graduate, Community College Transfer student, or  currently enrolled at Tougaloo;
  2. Must have a 2.75 GPA or above;
  3. Submit an essay (250 word essay addressing the value of a college education, career objective, demonstrate involvement in community activities, and how their education will be benefited by receiving the WATAC Scholarship;
  4. Furnish one letter of recommendation (teacher, guidance counselor, clergy, employer, etc);
  5. Submit a copy of an official high school transcript, Community College transcript or Tougaloo College transcript;
  6. Submit completed application before May 31 for the Academic year;
  7. Submit an unofficial Fall Semester transcript  to verify required 2.75 GPA and enrollment status for distribution of the WATAC Scholarship Award during the Spring Semester.

Only completed applications will be accepted for review (Applications must include items 3 – 8);
NO APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE DEADLINE.

Scholarship History

The WATAC Scholarship Proposal was written and submitted as a draft to the WATAC membership during its January 12, 2002 meeting. Prior to the Scholarship Proposal, WATAC made and continues to make monetary contributions to Tougaloo annually.  The Scholarship Proposal with its activities and implementation time frames were approved with minor edits. At the outset there were no allocated funds for the WATAC Scholarship. Due to the limited initial budget, the first WATAC Scholarships were two $500 Book Scholarships. They were awarded to Cecil Jenkins and Chavonn Hughes during the Spring 2005 academic semester. A motion was passed to begin implementing the four $1,000 scholarships as defined in the original proposal during the 2005-2006 Academic Year. Each year the goal was to have incremental award increases per fund raising efforts.

In 2008, WATAC made a $600 contribution to the Summer 2008 Tougaloo Art Colony. The Art Colony Scholarship Award covered the registration, tuition, lodging and food for the mentoring and development of a budding student artist. In 2011, the number of WATAC scholarships increased from 4 to 6 with one being designated for an eligible Community College transfer student.
In 2018, a unanimous decision was made to increase the number of scholarships from 6 to 7 effective during academic year 2019-2020. Community College transfers and International Students are encouraged to apply.

Since the inception of the WATAC Scholars Program, WATAC has directly selected and awarded 100 WATAC Scholars. Additionally over the years, WATAC has contributed over $700,000 to the Tougaloo College General Scholarship Fund.

In 2023 two New Scholarship Polices were added.
Policy I: WATAC will fund up to Seven (7) award recipients annually subject to funds availability each academic year.
Policy II: WATAC will select the next highest scored scholarship applicant when an approved award recipient does not enroll during the academic year of the award subject to funds availability.

How to Apply

Download, Complete and Submit the WATAC Scholarship Application.[WATACScholarshipApplication.pdf]

WATAC Scholarship Contact:

Dr. Patricia Cole, pacolephd.associates@gmail.com,

Previous Recipients

  • Academic Year 2004 – 2005, Chavonn Hughes and Cecil Jenkins
  • Academic Year 2005 – 2006, Shane Gomes and Whitney McDowell
  • Academic Year 2006 – 2007, Tonya Boyd-Cannon, Jacqueline Cole-Turner, Jasper Hall, Latonya Harness and Porchia Matthews
  • Academic Year 2007 – 2008, Brian Hughes and  Keisha Sanders
  • Academic Year 2008 – 2009, Corionna Branch, Earnest Ducksworth, Joshua Marks, Charity Thompson,  Tougaloo College Art Colony
  • Academic Year 2009 – 2010, Cierra Draine, Keith French, Brittney Robinson and Hadassah Willett
  • Academic Year 2010 – 2011, Sharone Bolden, Jessica Jenkins, Arrion Light and Sydnie Purchas
  • Academic Year 2011 – 2012, Xiomara Bell, Felicia Cooper, Nneamaka C. Ezekwe, Arrion P. Light, Michael Q. Taylor, Jr., Jasmine Thompson
  • Academic Year 2012 – 2013, Melissa Lynn Burton, Nneamaka C. Ezekwe, Victoria Porter, Detrice Roberts, Charden Virgil and Robin D. Williams
  • Academic Year 2013 – 2014,  Kisa Harris, Victoria Porter, Detrice Roberts, Sylvia Robinson, Ansley Scott and Charden Virgil
  • Academic Year 2014 – 2015, Kisa Harris, Shandell Lewis, Markiea Malone, Charden Virgil, Diva Whalen, and Maurice Whalen,
  • Academic Year 2015 – 2016, Timera Brown, Acacia Cooper, Breland Crump, Quanisha Ford, Charmaine Kelly and Courtney Mangum
  • Academic Year 2016 – 2017, Olexis Haymon, Abednego Nii Odom Commey, Maurice Whalen, Jamease Williams, Charmaine Kelly
  • Academic Year 2017 – 2018, Jasmine Baylor, Jamease Williams, Abednego Commey, Joshua Cotton, Mallary Green, Tyra Farnklin
  • Academic Year 2018 – 2019, Dedrick Barkley, Jamiee Mitchell, Tyra Franklin, Enleyona Weir, Lillian Scott, Jazmine Baylor
  • Academic Year 2019-2020, Jamie Bozeman, Vanetta Brownlow, Brittnie-Lee Duffus, Tyra Franklin, Natalie Hampton, Lillian Scott, Enleyona Weir
  • Academic Year 2020 – 2021, Jamie Bozeman, Tyra Franklin, Nakyah Hill, Alliah Johnson, Andria L. Turner, Enleyona Weir
  •  Academic Year 2021 – 2022, Christopher Buie, Chandler Cleveland, Deborah Osei Frimpong, Alliah Johnson, Andria L. Turner
  • Academic Year 2022 – 2023, Kevin Byrd, Carlyn Payton and Andria L. Turner.

  • Academic Year 2023 – 2024, Rinah Bracelet, Kevin Byrd, Rokiya Hobbs, Carlyn Payton, Carla Smith, Antoinette Thigpen, Andria Turner

Outstanding Highlights of the 2023-2024 WATAC Scholars

Raniah Bracelet

Hometown: Gulfport, Mississippi
Classification: Senior
Major: Mass Communication Major emphasis in Public Relations & Advertising
Organization Affiliations: Student Government Association, Senior Class Vice President, (TAMS); Tougaloo Ambassador Society, Tougaloo Cheerleader, Member of the Mass Communication Society
GPA: 3.6

Kevin Byrd

Hometown: Jackson, Mississippi
Classification: Senior
Major: Health and Recreation
Awards: Dean’s List every semester; WATAC Scholar; Tougaloo Honors Award 
Organization Affiliations: Tougaloo NAACP member; Tougaloo Men’s Basketball; member Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity
GPA: 3.5

Rokiyah Hobbs

Hometown: Greenville, Mississippi
Classification: Junior
Major: Political Science
Organization Affiliations: Student Government Association -Secretary, Reuben V. Anderson Pre-Law Society -Chaplin; Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity- Secretary; MAMA (Maternal Advocacy For Medical Access @Tougaloo)- Vice President; Provost List Scholar; Public Policy Scholar; HBCU Power To Decide Student Ambassador; Black Girl Vote Coalition @Tougaloo Leader.
GPA: 3.70

 

Carlyn Payton

Hometown: Greenwood, Mississippi
Classification: Sophomore
Major: Elemenrary Education
Organization Affiliations: National Honor Society, Chick Fila Leadership Academy Member; Founding Member of Mentoring for Girls, Inc. Leflore County P.E.A.R.L.S. Chapter President as well as currently serving as P.E.A.R.L.S. State President. The Inaugural Miss Greenwood Leflore Consolidated School District.  Participates in the Tougaloo Sophomore Class Volunteer Events and Campus Involvement
GPA: 3.47

Carla Smith

Hometown: Hazlehurst, Mississippi
Classification: Senior
Major: Mass Communications with emphasis in Radio, Broadcasting and Television, Public Relations, Advertising, and Journalism
Organization Affiliations: Student Government Association (Parliamentarian) Tougaloo Ambassadors of Meritorious Scholars (SAC Representative), Mass Com. Society (Treasurer) the NAACP, Harambee Newspaper (Editor and Chief), Pre-Alumni Council (President), Womanhood, Residential Life (Residential Assistant), Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., and Alpha Delta Lambda Honor Society
GPA: 3.95

Antoinette Thigpen

Hometown: Hazlehurst, Mississippi
Classification: Junior
Major: Music Education
Organization Affiliations: Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society, Pre-Alumni Council, Jackson Heart Study member, Hazlehurst High School Hall of Famer
GPA: 3.53

Andria Turner

Hometown: Clinton, Mississippi
Classification: Senior
Major: Biology (Pre-Dental)
Organization Affiliations: President, Gamma Psi Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; Research Intern at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Intern at Reddix Medical Group (2022), National Honor Society, WATAC Scholar for 4years; Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society, Attaché Show Choir, Clinton High School, Tougaloo Dance Team Co-Captain, Tougaloo Concert Choir Secretary, Pre-Alumni Council, Tougaloo Miss Senior Class; Jackson Free Clinic Ambassador, Volunteers at Mississippi Animal Rescue League
GPA: 3.35