JOHN A WILSON SCHOLARSHIP
John A. Wilson 2023 Awards
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Honorable John A. Wilson devoted his career to serving the public and championing education and opportunities for youth. Raised in poverty on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Mr. Wilson became a courageous leader of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in the 1960s Civil Rights movement. He later moved to Washington and began a distinguished political career. He led the successful 1974 campaign for the adoption of the District’s Home Rule Charter, then served 18 years on D.C. City Council. He served as City Council Chairman from 1991 to 1993. The H Street Community Development Corporation (HSCDC) established the John A. Wilson Scholarship Fund as a lasting memorial to the late civil rights leader, 18-year member of the D.C. City Council and Council Chairman from 1991 to 1993. Mr. Wilson was a founding member of the HSCDC. His leadership facilitated the 1984 birth of the organization, which has produced affordable housing and commercial retail and office space throughout the area.
Since 2008, the Inaugural Scholarship Year, HSCDC has awarded more than seventy (70) scholarships to deserving DC Public and public charter school students. Recipients of the John A. Wilson Scholarship attend some of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the country.
SCHOLARSHIP QUALIFICATIONS
The John A. Wilson Scholarship creates an opportunity for worthy students to achieve a college education and compete in the high-tech global economy while improving the quality of life in the community. Most importantly the John A. Wilson Scholarship inspires community service and neighborhood involvement.
- Minimum grade point average of 2.5
- Graduating senior of a Washington, D.C. Public/Public Charter School
- Must Be a Washington, D.C. Resident
- Indicate Pell Grant Eligibility (Submit FAFSA)
- Involvement in school and community activities
- Submit two (2) letters of recommendation. ONE LETTER MUST BE FROM YOUR SCHOOL AND ONE FROM A COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION.
- Submit an official high school transcript
- Accepted by and enrolled full-time in an associate or baccalaureate degree program from an accredited institution of higher education for the Fall Semester 2023. Official confirmation from the institution that you have actually enrolled for the fall term will be necessary before funds are paid to the institution.
- A 500-650-word essay on the following subject: How can I help change the “quality of life” within my neighborhood by obtaining a college education and pursuing a career in Public Service (government), Economic Development (business/housing), Community Empowerment (organizing/advocacy) OR Neighborhood Revitalization (community and real estate development)?
PROGRAM SELECTION
The John A. Wilson Scholarship selects 3 recipients each year from a citywide applicant pool. Admission criteria focus on academic ability, achievement, and financial need. A rigorous application review includes analysis of grades, student essays, letters of recommendation, and family finances (Pell Grant eligibility documentation required). Each recipient will receive a one-time scholarship in the amount of $3,000 sent directly to the school the recipient will be attending in the fall.
APPLICATION TIMELINE & PROCEDURE
Applications are due by Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Finalists are notified in the late spring of 2023. Applications should be submitted at www.hstreetcdc.org/john-a-wilson-scholarship/. Official transcripts and letters of recommendation can be emailed to bryan.king@hstreetcdc.org or
mailed to:
John A. Wilson Scholarship,
916 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20003
or faxed to (202) 735-5340.
Contact Mr. Bryan King with questions about the application process.
Call (202) 544-8353
Or bryan.king@hstreetcdc.org
Please be advised that there is no extension date.