Community Scholars for Black Lives Fellowship Program
Inspired by the challenge from North Central University to establish a George Floyd
Memorial Scholarship, Cal Lutheran established the Community Scholars for Black Lives
Fellowship Program to empower students to work in tandem with community leaders and create
conditions for Black lives to flourish. Through the Community Scholars for Black Lives Fellowship Program, a small cohort
of Cal Lutheran students will be engaged in work that embodies progress toward a just
society where African Americans do not bear the brunt of racist structures and systems.
The program features scholarship, mentorship, and community engagement.
On May 25, 2020, the world witnessed the modern day lynching of a Black man. His name, George
Floyd, has been added to a litany of names of people who encountered similar fates.
Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, Rashard Brooks, Sandra Bland, Ahmaud Arbery, Michael
Brown, Trayvon Martin, and Meagan Hockaday are among the numerous Black lives lost
to the use of deadly force by police and racially motivated acts of violence, oftentimes
with no criminal repercussion.
The year 2020 brought the issue of race to the forefront on many different levels.
As students, you witnessed or heard about racial slurs and derogatory depictions of
Black people on our own campus and while in the midst of working towards making Cal
Lutheran a more welcoming place, the horrendous killing of George Floyd by police
reminded us all of the gravity of racism in the U.S. In response, millions of people
have taken to the streets to rally for change, yet the number of people who lack understanding
about the inequities confronted by Black people is daunting. Of those who do understand
the issues, many feel helpless or hopeless. So where do we go from here?
Is your response to reflect, analyze, or do something? As an intellectual, your perceptions
and responses to such moments are markers along your journey towards your personal
development and growth. Where do you stand on issues? What will you do to ensure that
you are able to thrive in a global society? As a scholar, these are times for you
to critically examine the systems at play. As an emerging change agent, perhaps you
have begun contemplating how you and your generation can work towards creating a more
just society for people who are marginalized and dismissed. We envision Community
Scholars for Black Lives as individuals who embody all three, who utilize intellect
and knowledge to bring about broader societal impact.
Cal Lutheran has partnered with six organizations based in Ventura County that focus
on the advancement of African Americans. Representatives from each organization will
weigh in on the selection of Scholars and will participate as advisors to Community
Scholars. The Community Scholars for Black Lives program will further permeate the
community as each organization awards scholarships to college-bound high school seniors.
Partner organizations are:
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. – Xi Iota Lambda Chapter
The Channel Islands Chapter of The Links, Inc.
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. – Psi Xi Chapter
Ventura County Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Students Securing and Achieving Their Future Through Education (SSAFE)
2022/2023 Cohort of Community Scholars for Black Lives
Rakaihya Thomas
Elul Nedi
Adgbemisola Abon
Valerie Salazar
2021/2022 Cohort of Community Scholars for Black Lives
Teketa Bellamy
Jaden Lyons
Sloan Sanders
Sarah Wells
2020/2021 Cohort of Community Scholars for Black Lives
Emozino Ayetuoma
Landry Irumva
Elysia Williams
Important Dates
Event
Date
Application Period Opens
March 2022
Application Webinar
September 2022
Application Priority Deadline
August 30, 2022
Current Program Term
Accepting applications for Fall 2022
Community Scholars Benefits:
Fellowship Award in the amount of $5,000
Mentorship from faculty
Engagement with community organizations focused on African American progress
Travel funds to attend conference
Project budget up to $1,000
Recognition as Community Scholar
Immerse students in activities and experiences designed to increase knowledge and
strengthen skills toward improving the fate of the Black community
Creatively raise awareness, educate, and train students and community members about
systems and structures in need of change in order to alleviate oppression of Black
people
Increase interracial understanding and cooperation towards a just society for all,
with an emphasis on justice for Black people
Open to Cal Lutheran undergraduate and graduate students with at least one year of
studies left prior to graduation
Must be at least a sophomore during program year
Must have a GPA of 3.0 or above
Must demonstrate evidence of interest in equity and justice: major or minor discipline,
community service, demonstrated involvement in organizations focused on advancing
racial justice or specifically focused on progress for African Americans
Community Scholars for Black Lives will be engaged in the following activities from
September through April:
Orchestrate a project that illuminates the issues of systemic racism and/or social
structures that perpetuate oppression while posing potential solutions to these problems
through projects that engage the Cal Lutheran and/or Ventura County community.
Project Ideas: Research paper, Community Forum, Speaker Series, Visual or Performing
Arts, Educational Tour, Website, Film, Book Club
Periodically meet with Mentors for guidance on project
Participate in discussions and activities intended to increase understanding of issues
impacting Black communities (i.e., community roundtable, contributions to Black Lives resource
list,)
Present oral reports of project outcomes at Cal Lutheran and at least one community
forum
Attend NAACP, NUL, CORE, or CBCF conference
Attend and be recognized during Cal Lutheran’s Black Culmination Celebration
Write a single essay addressing the following prompts. Limit your statement to a maximum
of three double-spaced pages, with 1-inch margins. Use Times New Roman or Arial, 12-point
font.
Share your educational background, involvement in campus organizations and community
activities.
What motivated you to apply to the Community Scholars for Black Lives program? Discuss
how your participation in the program will help you achieve your goals.
Describe your preparation for participation in the Community Scholars for Black Lives program
as it relates to your education and experience.
Discuss how the purpose of the Community Scholars for Black Lives program resonates
with your own experiences or observations concerning issues disparately impacting Black communities, systemic oppression and racism.
Limit your proposal to a maximum of five double-spaced pages, with 1-inch margins.
Use Times New Roman or Arial, 12-point font.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Summarize the purpose of your project
What are the goals and objectives of the project?
What are the outcomes (intended results) of the project?
NEED STATEMENT
Why is there a need for this project?
Include evidence/data that supports your statement of need
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Provide a description of the project.
Describe the features of the project.
Who is the intended audience?
What is the timeline for major milestones in the planning and implementation of project
Capacity
What experience do you have with carrying out such a project?
BUDGET
Include a line-item budget for your project
Show how you arrive at your costs
Submit one letter of recommendation from a Cal Lutheran faculty member.
Contact your letter writer, tell the faculty member that you will be applying to the
Community Scholars for Black Lives program (this should be your first step towards
completing your application, thereby giving your recommender ample time to write your
letter.)
Send the name, email, title and department of your letter writer to blacklivesscholars@callutheran.edu.
In your subject line write: Reference Submission for (your name).
We will send your letter writer an email with the instructions for writing and submitting
your letter.
Make sure you provide us with the name and email address of your recommender as soon
as you begin your application.
The student’s motivation to become a Community Scholar for Black Lives is alignment
with the purpose of the program (statement of purpose)
The proposed project advances the goals of the Community Scholars for Black Lives Program
The project is clearly explained
The need for the project is clearly established with evidence
Project activities and related work are realistic and achievable
The timetable for major activities is realistic and likely to be attained
The budget is realistic
Applicant’s competence to carry out the project (academic achievement, educational
background, experience)
The letter from a faculty member strongly supports the student’s capacity and interest
to achieve the goals of the Community Scholars for Black Lives Program
The essay and proposal are free from distracting errors
Support this Scholarship
If you would like to make a gift in support of this scholarship, you can give online
here: