1st Place Winner
My name is Michael Cleveland, a 2017 honor graduate of Booker T. Washington High School in Atlanta, Ga. I am a devoted child of God. I attend Walker Tabernacle Baptist Church where I serve God as a Junior Deacon and by being an active member in the music and educational ministries of my church. During my high school experience, I was heavily involved in the Early College program where I attended Atlanta Metropolitan State College and graduated with college credit, as well as The National Beta Club, The Tri-M Music Honor Society, The Marching 100 Band, and Yearbook. Since childhood, watching my mother work as a paramedic I have had the desire to one-day work in the medical field. I devoted 146 hours to volunteering in the E.R. at Grady Health Systems the summer of 2016 which inspired me to want to become an E.R. Physician. I chose to attend Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans where I will major Biology Pre-Med with a Chemistry minor. After I obtain my bachelor’s I will either attend Morehouse School of Medicine or Meharry Medical College for medical school. . I am extremely grateful for this opportunity which will help contribute to my success. Thank you.
1st Place Winner
My name is Michael Cleveland, a 2017 honor graduate of Booker T. Washington High School in Atlanta, Ga. I am a devoted child of God. I attend Walker Tabernacle Baptist Church where I serve God as a Junior Deacon and by being an active member in the music and educational ministries of my church. During my high school experience, I was heavily involved in the Early College program where I attended Atlanta Metropolitan State College and graduated with college credit, as well as The National Beta Club, The Tri-M Music Honor Society, The Marching 100 Band, and Yearbook. Since childhood, watching my mother work as a paramedic I have had the desire to one-day work in the medical field. I devoted 146 hours to volunteering in the E.R. at Grady Health Systems the summer of 2016 which inspired me to want to become an E.R. Physician. I chose to attend Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans where I will major Biology Pre-Med with a Chemistry minor. After I obtain my bachelor’s I will either attend Morehouse School of Medicine or Meharry Medical College for medical school. . I am extremely grateful for this opportunity which will help contribute to my success. Thank you.
2nd Place Winner
My name is Eboni Diamond Washington, a native of the South Bronx, New York currently living in Chiang Mai, Thailand where I own a vegan soul food pop up shop called Vegan Traphouse. Our sole mission is to promote veganism while raising awareness about Black American culture through food and education. I hold my Bachelors of Arts in Radio-TV-Film from the illustrious Howard University and am now currently enrolled at the University of New England obtaining my Master of Social of Work. While attending Howard, I volunteered with an organization called Lady Me where we mentored and tutored “at-risk” high school females. Since being in Thailand, I was given the opportunity to lead several English camps for Thai students focused on health and environmental conservation. This fall, I will begin my internship with Burmese refugees here in Thailand. My ultimate goal is to become an international social worker and work specifically with oppressed indigenous populations around the world. I believe in the saying "no one is free while others are still oppressed" and cultural competency plays a vital role in positive human interaction. With the help of the Rahman Alim Strum Scholarship, I will be able to continue my venture in helping individuals in various communities achieve better mental, physical, and emotional health. I will be forever grateful for this award.
Congratulations to our 2023 Rahman Alim Strum Scholarship Winners!!!
1st Place Winner - Ashley Ireland
Accounting has always been a passion of mine. While many may look at it as a boring career, I always found it fascinating. I looked forward to pursuing the field as it was underrepresented by Black women and considered one of the harder business majors. I wanted to serve as one that could represent the field and bring the much needed diversity and experience that I could bring and teach. I hope to be able to teach accounting in underrepresented communities to be able to develop studies and their interest in a path with a growing prospect and potential security.
I graduated top 6% of my class with honors, my seal of honor business, 39 college credit honors of dual enrollment with a 3.9 GPA, accounting and general management completers, 4 years of student government; serving 3 positions, captain of the HBCU style dance team, Sensational Dolls, a rising scholar for the University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business, Palmetto Fellows, 4 years of Honors Wind Ensemble, and many more.
I would like to thank the Rahman Alim Strum Scholarship Committee for giving me this opportunity. I am grateful to receive this with high honor. Not only will this further my education prospects and goals, it will allow me to help others who invested in my education. These next four years I am committed to working hard and using this opportunity to make a difference.
2nd Place Winner - Ryan Bradley
Growing up I always found inspiration in businesses, how they operate and how I can operate my own. I grew up in New York City where it is the mecca of many successful businesses. I am destined for greatness and will use the experiences I have learned in this big city and use it to my advantage.
I am very generous with my service time. I have volunteered at soup kitchens giving back to the less fortunate. Currently I am in the Men of Excellence program designed to support minority male students academically, socially, personally, and professionally. I have huge hope in the world changing for the better.
I grew up in a single parent household and I am the oldest of 3. My work ethic came from watching my mother work hard and her relentlessness to always provide for her children.
My passions include culinary, basketball, fashion design and economics. I love to read and cook and learn about business strategies to increase my acumen.
As a recipient of the Rahman Alim Strum Scholarship, I am going to continue to give selflessly and volunteer and help those in need. I am thankful in receiving this scholarship as it will help with my financial need to cover the cost of education. Lastly, the scholarship will provide me opportunities to further my education.