OUR SCHOLARSHIPS
Our scholarships include the Memorial Scholarship for students affected by Sickle Cell Disease and the Carbonado Scholarship for formerly incarcerated youth. Students are required to submit a 500 to 1,000 word essay and two letters of recommendation. We also accept nominations.
Completed applications should be submitted via email to cheremcnairfoundation@gmail.com
Nomination Form and Recommendation Form should be submitted via website link.
Memorial Scholarship
The Memorial Scholarship was established to raise awareness about Sickle Cell Disease in eastern North Carolina. Our goal is to help alleviate the financial strain of college students with Sickle Cell Disease by providing book scholarships and academic scholarships annually.
Sickle cell disease is a hereditary blood disorder that causes individual red blood cells to die prematurely, so that the body can’t replace them fast enough. The blood disorder impacts people of all ages. Anemia is the term used to describe the shortage of red blood cells. People of African, Latin American, Mediterranean, Saudi Arabian, and Indian heritage are most likely to develop the disease. The disease causes a great amount of pain for those living with Sickle Cell and related illnesses such as Thalassemia. This can affect one’s academic journey and career.
We hope our support will encourage students to thrive personally and professionally.
Due to HIPPA and FERPA regulations, students cannot be required to disclose any health conditions. We invite applicants a.) whose lives have been affected by or b.) those students whose undergraduate study focuses on issues related to Sickle Cell Disease or Thalassemia medical research to apply.
The Carbonado Scholarship
The Carbonado* Scholarship is meant to help ease some of the financial issues formerly incarcerated young people encounter while navigating campus communities by providing book scholarships and academic scholarships annually. We believe that obtaining an education is one of the best strategies against recidivism and further economic insecurities. This will supplement students’ unmet need were other funding restrictions may exist.
Formerly incarcerated students face many barriers to full participation on college and university campuses. These include financial, logistical, informal, and ideological hurdles. Bail and court-imposed fines and fees can have lasting effects on entire families; schooling and careers are interrupted; and the consequences of conviction—including restrictions on employment, housing, public assistance, childcare, and financial aid—act as lifelong hindrances.
We hope our support will assist students in their academic endeavors and re-entry efforts.
Due to HIPPA and FERPA regulations, students cannot be required to disclose any criminal history. We invite applicants a.) whose lives have been affected by or b.) those students whose undergraduate study focuses on issues related to youth incarceration or mass incarceration to apply.
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*Carbonado, commonly known as black diamond, is the toughest form of natural diamond. Rare and believed to be of meteoritic origin, Carbonado is the most unique form of diamond on Earth. (GIA; Gemological Institute of America Inc.)