Three Shaw U. Students Receive $1,000 Scholarships From The HBCU Living Legends Fund

CHARLOTTE, NC – Three Shaw University students, Helen Phillips DeVane, Janell Odom, and Zaid Steele, were awarded a $1,000 Living Legends Scholarship at the North Carolina HBCU Living Legends Scholarship Gala event held on Saturday, Sept. 4 in Charlotte, North Carolina, as a hybrid virtual and in-person celebration.

The HBCU Living Legends fund was established to celebrate and support the educational excellence that is the legacy of North Carolina’s 11 Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Dr. Vanessa Raynor, Dean of Shaw University’s Academic Support Program, said, “We are so proud to celebrate our three students from Shaw University who received a scholarship from the HBCU Living Legends fund. These recognitions are a great acknowledgment of the success of our students and our distinguished honors program, and we are grateful to the scholarship committee for investing in our students.”

The core mission of the fund is to provide scholarships to currently enrolled students at North Carolina HBCUs. Scholarship funds are generated through donations from individuals and businesses, the sales of the commemorative “Living Legends” calendar, and the “Living Legends Scholarship Gala.” The secondary mission is to increase the awareness of how excellent HBCUs are by celebrating the achievements of their alumni graduates; those who are positively and actively impacting cities, states, the nation, and the world.  

Shaw University President Dr. Paulette Dillard also was recognized as a 2021 Living Legend honoree during the gala. “I’m so appreciative of such a great honor from the HBCU Living Legends organization. I want to congratulate our exceptional Shaw University students and express how proud we are of their accomplishments,” Dillard said.

The $1,000 Living Legends scholarship is a need-based award with consideration given to merit, service, and character. The intent is to help students with the potential to become future HBCU Living Legends. Award funds can be used to supplement college-related expenses, such as books, lab fees, and other incidental expenses. Students can reapply for this scholarship annually. For more information on the scholarship gala and previous honorees, visit: www.hbculivinglegends.com