Dorothy Counts Scoggins/E. Virginia Shadd – “Breaking Barriers” Award
The Dorothy Counts Scoggins/E. Virginia Shadd – “Breaking Barriers” Award is a one-year scholarship that recognizes female high school seniors attending Mecklenburg County high schools. It is named in honor of two members of our illustrious sorority who were leaders and “broke barriers” in the Charlotte Mecklenburg School System.
Dorothy Counts-Scoggins broke the color barrier in Mecklenburg County schools as a 15-year old student as one of four African American students to integrate a then all-white Harding High School on September 4, 1957. In so doing, Counts-Scoggins became one of the first African-American students to integrate into Charlotte public schools.
The late E. Virginia Shadd was an active member of the Charlotte Alumnae Chapter until her death. Ginny, as she was affectionately known, was the first female principal of a senior high school in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. She was the principal at Myers Park High School and Harding High School. As an educator, Ginny nurtured students and strongly encouraged them to excel. She also served as a mentor to many teachers and administrators in the CMS system and to others in the community. She too broke the color barrier in our local schools as an administrator.
Award disbursement of $2,500 minimum, based on verified college enrollment for Fall 2024
- Must be a graduating African-American female senior
- Must be a student enrolled in a Mecklenburg County high school
- Must have an unweighted cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher
- Must demonstrate financial need (please refer to the Federal Government Poverty Guidelines) by completing Section V of the application and uploading verification of income
- Must plan to attend a four-year institution of higher education in the U.S. during the upcoming academic year
APPLICATION DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO 11:59 p.m. ON MARCH 25, 2024.
Click here to apply: Breaking Barriers Awards Application