Through their yearly golf tournament, the sorority helps high school and college students pursue their higher education goals.
By Megan Reed
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Tau Tau Omega Chapter’s Twenty Pearls Heritage Foundation recently awarded scholarships to twelve deserving students who are pursuing higher education.
“In these ever-changing and challenging times, it is more important than ever to give back to our community and to support the goals and aspirations of our next generation,” said Twenty Pearls Heritage Foundation President Audrey J. Owens. “In 12 years, through the Pink & Green Golf Classic, we have awarded over $80,000 in scholarships and charitable donations. We continue this legacy to fulfill our purpose ‘to be of service to all mankind.’”
Scholarships were awarded to graduating high school seniors, Santa Monica College students transferring to programs at four-year universities, students entering or continuing graduate programs, students attending HBCUs, and UCLA/Alpha Gamma Chapter members continuing undergraduate studies or entering graduate programs.
Danielle Andrews, who was initiated into Alpha Kappa Alpha through Alpha Gamma Chapter at UCLA, received a scholarship that will help her continue her medical education at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.
“Medicine is such a pay to play field,” Andrews said. “I have to invest money in order to get what I’m trying to get out of it. As a second year, I’ll be studying my Step 1 exam, which is $1,000. That’s not including the resources that I need to purchase to prepare for it adequately. So scholarships like these really help me fund my education.
“Scholarships like these are really important to me because I do not have physicians in my family. It takes a village to raise a child, and I really feel like Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, especially Tau Tau Omega Chapter, is a part of my village, and a really appreciate their support.”
As the price of college and graduate programs continues to rise, it is important to financially support students’ academic endeavors.
“They have bills and school is expensive,” said Rasheeda Garner, Twenty Pearls Heritage Foundation treasure. “Becoming who they want to be costs a lot of money, so we’re proud to invest in them. They need organizations like ours to invest in their future. That’s why we do this every year.”
For more information about this foundation and to apply for the scholarship, visit www.tautauomega.org.
