PITTSBURGH—For more than 30 years, the POISE Foundation, an African American community foundation, has been supporting programs that add value to the quality of life of Black Pittsburgh and the region as a whole.
It is perhaps for that reason that the NAACP National Education Program has tapped POISE to partner in the management of its National Scholarship Program. The NAACP National Education Program strives to ensure that all students have access to an equal and high-quality public education by eliminating education-related racial and ethnic disparities in our public schools.
“POISE Foundation is honored to provide scholarship administration for the National NAACP Scholarship Program,” stated Karris Jackson, vice president of Programs at POISE. “We believe education is one of the key ingredients to success and envision a nation in which all members of the Black Community are empowered and self-sufficient.”
Currently, the Foundation manages over 60 scholarship funds, and provides management and support to a host of individual donors and review committees. POISE will manage the online submission process for applicants and serve as the main contact for students applying for one of the two NAACP scholarships: Agnes Jones Jackson and Hubertus W.V. Willems Scholarship for Male Students.
“Education is the cornerstone of success and social mobility in this country. Every child deserves access to a high quality education. Each year the NAACP, through generous donations, is able to provide scholarships to outstanding students,” said Evans Moore, interim director for the NAACP’s Education Department. “POISE Foundation has demonstrated its ability to support the NAACP in the management of the Scholarship Program through their successful legacy of assisting the Black community and providing opportunities for education.”
The application cycle for the 2014-2015 school years opened Jan. 15 and will close March 17 at 3:00 pm. NAACP staff and the Scholarship Review Committee will be responsible for reviewing all completed applications that meet eligibility criteria and determining scholarship recipients.
POISE Foundation was founded by Bernard H. Jones, Sr. in December of 1980 as the first public foundation in the state of Pennsylvania organized and managed by African Americans.