On June 12 at the Holiday Inn Select-University Center, the Kappa Scholarship Endowment Fund of Western Pennsylvania celebrated 20 years of scholarship giving.
Students were smartly dressed and accompanied by friends and parents and were the special guests of KSEF. Rex Crawley, KSEF, board president, said this year’s class of awardees walked away with scholarships valued at well over $300,000. Three students received full academic scholarships to Robert Morris and Penn State universities. In 2005, KSEF joined in partnership with Robert Morris University to award two full-tuition scholarships to attend the school.
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| THOMAS A. MOTLEY AWARD WINNER—Julian Payne accepts the Thomas Motley Award as Tom Motley, right, and Rex Crawley look on.
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In 2008, KSEF joined in partnership with Penn State University to award one full-time tuition scholarship to attend Penn State University/University Park.
After a delightful lunch keynote speaker Aaron Walton stepped to the microphone for brief and powerful comments.
He said, “This day is not about me.” He encouraged the students “not to let things just happen. Anticipate what may happen and plan for a positive outcome. More than 7,000 students become dropouts every day. It is time to sore to new heights.”
Walton is a retired member of the executive leadership group for Highmark Inc. and is credited with being the architect of the Highmark Foundation’s $100,000,000 initiative to address the physical and emotional health of children in Highmark’s 49 county service regions. Walton has been referred to as the “ultimate mentor.” When he retired his position was filled by one of his mentees. After Walton’s encouraging words it was time for the portion of the program that gives KSEF the most pleasure. Dozens of essays were reviewed by KSEF and their 2010 scholarship award recipients were selected.
The Thomas A. Motley Award, $3,000—Julian Payne
KSEF Merit Award $1,000—Anthony Hawkins
KSEF Merit Award $500—Langston Wright
KSEF Merit Award $500—Brett Allen
2010 KSEF/RMU Presidential Scholars four-year academic scholarship—Malik Johnson and Marcus Paxton Jr.
2010 KSEF/Penn State four-year scholarship winner—Charles Thompson Lawson
All merit awards were matched 50 percent by NEED (Negro Education Emergency Fund). The Kappa Scholarship Endowment Fund was the brainchild of Thomas A. Motley Sr., the past Polemarch of the Pittsburgh Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Julian Payne was also awarded the annual Dell laptop computer award courtesy of Kevin Clark and Dell Inc.
Applications for the 2011 scholarships will be available beginning Sept. 15.
(For more information and electronic copies of applications contact Rex L. Crawley, Ph.D., Crawley@rmu.edu.)
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