Shaw University Standouts Receive 2019/2020 Dereck W. Whittenburg Scholarships
Raleigh, NC – The Dereck Whittenburg Foundation (DWF) has named three exceptional Shaw University students as recipients of the 2019/2020 DWF Scholarship: Seniors Dereje Dessalegne and Pernell Edwards, Jr. and junior Ian Finley. DWF scholarships support exemplary students who may need financial assistance to complete their college degrees.
Dereje Dessalegne will earn his degree in computer science in May 2020. Dereje saw his first computer while an 8th grader in his native Ethiopia. “That’s when I became fascinated with these amazing tools, and when my dream of becoming a software engineer and innovator in the field was born.” Since high school, Dereje has given of his time and talents to help others, from tutoring other students in math and physics during the summer to helping the Ethiopian community here in Raleigh, helping newcomers to become acclimated and to find work and accommodations. Dereje’s professors describe him as hardworking, dedicated, enthusiastic, personable and someone who loves to learn. In addition to being a Whittenburg Scholar, Dereje has earned the Shaw University Presidential Scholarship, a Citrix Scholarship, and a Mack Foundation Scholarship. He maintains a full class schedule even as he works full-time at night to support his family, saying “Hard work pays off at the end of the day, I truly believe that. I want to give my daughter and my family a better life, and I don’t mind losing sleep to make sure we have a meaningful future.”
Pernell Edwards Jr. ’20 is a recreation management major, a Shaw University Presidential Scholar, and a member of the Alpha Chi National College Honor Society, a prestigious academic honor society that only accepts gifted students who place in the top ten percent of their class from all academic disciplines. He also is an avid athlete and coach. In 2018, Pernell created a youth flag football program for underprivileged children, Carolina Shine Youth Flag Football; he also is a volunteer youth flag football coach at Lake Lynn Community Center in Raleigh. He currently is developing a charity kickball event to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society called Kicking 4 Cancer LLS. In addition to maintaining a full course load, a full-time job, his coaching obligations, and taking care of his family, Pernell devotes a great deal of time to charity work and community service. Pernell’s professors say he is positive, persuasive, conscientious, creative and professional; his colleagues at IQVIA praise Pernell’s leadership, determination and sense of social responsibility. Pernell already plans to maintain these very high standards: “I’ve consistently proven that when presented with opportunities, I will strive to represent myself in the best possible manner, and to reward those who have granted me those opportunities. Throughout my career, I plan to be an ambassador of Shaw University.”
Junior Ian James Finley has set his sights on earning his degree in political science in May 2021. Hailing from the Bahamas, Ian has devoted time and effort to support the Bahamian community in Raleigh and at home, even before Hurricane Dorian wreaked havoc on that island nation. He also is extremely active on campus and in the community. Ian currently serves as SGA Internal Vice President, is a member of the International Students Association (which he reinstituted in his freshman year), is a resident advisor at TOS men’s residence hall, and is a percussion section leader for Shaw’s Platinum Sound Marching Band. Ian also has participated in numerous civic events and organizations, often focused on encouraging students to exercise their right to vote. Ian enthusiastically promotes multicultural awareness and expression on Shaw’s campus and in neighboring communities. In addition to being part of the 2019/2020 DWF Scholars cohort, Ian also is a Shaw University Presidential Scholar and has received Shaw’s Gold Honors Award. “I love to lead, organize and inspire. My parents instilled the mindset of leadership in me, for which I will always be grateful. Complacency is something I will fight, because as the saying goes ‘a comfort zone is a beautiful place but nothing ever grows there.’ Helping to create solutions for many of the social problems we are facing today is something I look forward to with enthusiasm and confidence.”
About Shaw:
Shaw University, a private liberal arts university located in vibrant downtown Raleigh, has been dedicated to providing every student with access to the opportunities that will lead them to a brighter future since 1865. Shaw engages every individual student through academic excellence and empowers them to make an impact in their communities and the world. Excellence. Opportunity. This is ShawU! Learn more at www.shawu.edu.
About The Dereck Whittenburg Foundation
The mission of The Dereck Whittenburg Foundation is to extend the hands of financial assistance to deserving college students that find themselves facing the hindrance of finance as the barrier to their completion of college degrees. The mantra of The Foundation is “Dream. Believe. Work. Now Finish!” Learn more at http://thedwfoundation.org/ .