The U.S. Department of Education recently announced that 110 students from 77 HBCUs across the nation have been accepted into the 2024 White House HBCU Scholars Program. This is an annual fellowship specially crafted for HBCU students across America. This program was birthed in 2014 through The White House Initiative on Educational Equity, Excellence and Economic Development through Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This program began while President Barack Obama was in office and the Biden-Harris Administration has continued to support this initiative through three categories: programs, projects, and policies.
The Department of Education released a statement online congratulating the selected scholars saying:
“For 10 years, the HBCU Scholars program has celebrated the exceptional academic talent and achievements of students at our Historically Black Colleges and Universities – a recognition that reflects the Biden-Harris Administration’s determination to fight for our nation’s HBCUs and their immense contributions to excellence and diversity in higher education,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “This year’s 110 outstanding students exemplify Black excellence – and fill us with hope for the promise of tomorrow. We couldn’t be prouder to support them on their journey.”
The 110 scholars will be representatives of their institutions and will get to participate in various outreach, engagement activities, and career-specific development. Students will be able to network with White House staff and grow collectively as an HBCU cohort.
One scholar, in particular, made history for his hometown by being the first White House Scholar from Natchitoches, Louisiana. Za’Chary “Prince” Jackson, a senior studying Mass Communications at Norfolk State University, is elated to join the program. He emphasized this by saying,
Official Announcement of White House Scholar. Credit: Za’Chary Jackson
“It feels fantastic to know that I’m the first from my community (Natchitoches) to be selected for something of such excellence, it gives me great pride.”
There are several keys to a successful application for this program. Students must demonstrate academic achievement, leadership in conjunction with campus engagement, and “entrepreneurial ethos.”
For Jackson, his application checked all of the boxes. With a 3.2 GPA Jackson has excelled in the classroom along with being an influential figure on campus. Serving the student body, he served as the Vice President for the Residence and Housing Association at NSU 2022-2023, Mister Norfolk State University 2023-2024, and is now the President of the Student Government Association.
When talking about his application, he mentioned, “It was a streamlined process, I was able to obtain what I needed and was endorsed by the university president whom I want to thank so much.”
Jackson is representing Norfolk State University along with Erika Igarashi-Cummings, a junior studying Construction Management Engineering, former NSU Honors College Vice-President, and is the current President of the Midnight Golf Program at Norfolk State. For every HBCU, only two students can be accepted per year into this program.
Jackson emphasized the impact that the two plan to make in this program.
“It would make a great impact, especially this year, [with] the election is coming up. You hold the importance closely between the entity of the White House and your University, so us being the two individuals on the playing field being able to rally in those votes, is bringing in the importance of why we are White House Scholars.”
Unlike many other fellowships that only require letters of recommendation from professors or previous internships, the HBCU White House Scholar Program requires students to have the signature of endorsement from their university’s president, which may be hard for some students. Yet for Jackson, it was only a matter of request. Describing his relationship with Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston, President of Norfolk State University he said,
“Anyone who goes to NSU knows that I call Dr. J my mom. Me and Dr. J have a relationship that started when I became a student at Norfolk State University. Get out and get to know her, she’s on campus, she’s available, and she wants that relationship with students. She also not only saw me as a student, she saw me as a student leader.”
Za’Chary Jackson far right with Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston on his left. Credit: NSU via Instagram
A perk of this program is that these student leaders will share some of the same spaces that Vice President Kamala Harris works in daily. As the election season is picking up, Jackson described the excitement of sharing spaces with the Howard Alum.
He said, “It’s exciting, because seeing someone who went to an HBCU that is running for the highest office in our country, gives insight that we can still do it—I’m so excited to see that it’s another change in history.” He has high hopes that one day soon the next president will be a woman and HBCU alum.
For Jackson, his experiences as a student leader have shaped him to gain this opportunity. He shared, “It takes a leader to understand that they must follow before they lead, and to follow you must know where to follow from, and that means getting involved.”
He encourages all who want to apply to this program to, “Come out of your shell, there are places and things set out for you, whatever you are looking for it’s there.”
His hopes are that this program can help him solidify his career path adding, “ I want to be sure that I’m not just seen as Mister Norfolk State University, SGA President, a White House Scholar, but also being seen as Za’Chary “Prince” Jackson who is a leader within himself and is able to help anyone who he comes into contact with.”
With Spartan Pride, Jackson plans to bring back to his university and the surrounding HBCU communities, “the importance of HBCU White House Scholars” and the lasting impact that students have on the nation after completing this program.
