SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS SAFIYAH ALLEN-CRANE, MIRACLE KELLEY AND JURNEE MURPHY. ALSO PICTURED ARE DENISE SINKLER, CENTER, NYA O’NEAL, AMYCA WILSON, AND RAVEN BIVINS, FAR RIGHT. (PHOTO BY CHIEF IKHANA-HAL-MAKINA)
Right now, Miracle Kelley, Jurnee Murphy and Safiyah Allen-Crane are busy being college students at their respective Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Coppin State, Xavier and Clark Atlanta, respectively.
Financially, things were made a little easier for them when, on Aug. 2, the New Pittsburgh Courier learned that they were each presented $700 scholarships from the organization McKeesport HBCU VISION.
The organization’s founder, Denise Sinkler, is a proud HBCU graduate, Clark Atlanta University. Her organization specifically rewards Pittsburgh-area students who decide to further their education at an HBCU.
“HBCUs have always produced the best and majority of our Black professionals such as doctors and lawyers,” Sinkler told the Courier exclusively. “HBCUs have also led the way during the most crucial times in our history and continue to do so. They are always on the forefront for social justice. Being an HBCU alumni myself, I feel obligated to help HBCU youth in areas that I can.”
FAMILY AND SUPPORTERS OF SAFIYA ALLEN-CRANE, ONE OF THE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS. (PHOTO BY CHIEF IKHANA)
In April, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that would promote excellence and innovation at the nation’s 107 HBCUs. Given the fact that President Trump has also forced the elimination of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs at corporations and some state universities, it may come as surprising to some that he signed such an executive order to help keep HBCUs flourishing.
President Trump’s executive order established the “President’s Board of Advisors on HBCUs” within the Department of Education, comprising leaders from philanthropy, education, business, finance, entrepreneurship, innovation, private foundations, and current HBCU presidents, read a release from the White House.
The executive order supported implementation of the “HBCU PARTNERS Act,” fostering research and program excellence, improving affordability and retention, and building pipelines for students to attend HBCUs. The release from the White House also said the administration would work to address barriers to HBCUs receiving certain federal and state grant dollars and to improve their competitiveness for Research and Development funding.
The White House release said that nearly 300,000 individuals annually pursue their dreams at HBCUs throughout the country, with those HBCUs generating $16.5 billion in annual economic impact and support over 136,000 jobs.
The three scholarships presented to Kelley, Murphy and Allen-Crane occurred at a celebration in Wilkins Township. Coppin State University is in Baltimore; Xavier University is in New Orleans (and the only Catholic HBCU); and Clark Atlanta University is in Atlanta. Kelley is a senior, Murphy is a freshman ,and Allen-Crane is a sophomore.
For Sinkler, it’s the second year of her organization, but the third time she’s given out scholarships. Sinkler presented scholarships to HBCU students two separate times in 2024.
To raise the money for the summer 2025 scholarships, Sinkler held a popcorn fundraiser along with contributions made from family, friends, HBCU alumni and community members.
In Pennsylvania, there are two HBCUs; Lincoln University and Cheyney University, both on the eastern side of the state. The closest celebration of HBCU life to Pittsburgh is two hours away in Canton, Ohio, during the annual Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic. The game showcases two Black colleges on the day before Labor Day. In 2025 (Aug. 31), Miles College played Virginia Union University. VUU won the game, 45-3. At halftime, the “Battle of the Bands” occurred between Miles College’s Purple Marching Machine and VUU’s Ambassadors of Sound Marching Band. Attendance for the game was 3,223.
For Sinkler, obtaining a college education, mixed with it coming from an HBCU, is the perfect combination.
“Achieving an education helped a great deal in my personal life,” Sinkler told the Courier. “I established healthy, positive relationships at Clark Atlanta University. My Clark sisters, Melanie and Qianna, whom I met freshman year at CAU, remain my sisters to this day. Our friendship remains strong. We shared similar triumphs and struggles during our college years, which keeps us connected to this day. To experience HBCU life, I was able to team up with people from all walks of life and appreciate so much diversity that comes with it.”
About Post Author
