Neither the Trump Administration's America first policies nor the Civil Right Act of 1964's prohibition on national origin discrimination permit universities to deny our fellow citizens the opportunity to compete for scholarships because they were born in the United States.
Under pressure from Republican lawmakers, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville terminated its scholarship partnership for Chinese students, citing concerns over the China Scholarship Council's influence.
The celebration unfolded at The Staaten, when Seamen's Society hosted its annual Scholarship, honoring 21 students in foster care who were awarded scholarships totaling over $30,000 for the upcoming academic year.
"We only were aiming for 10!" Allard said, saying the support was going to bring her to tears. "We've seen such an outpouring of support in the last three weeks... It's been reaffirming the importance of the work that we do."
"This isn't about fairness or equality. This is about life and death. We have a severe shortage of Black doctors in this city, and Black people here can't find culturally competent physicians who understand them."
The Supreme Court's June 2023 decision banning race consideration in college admissions has set off significant changes in policies nationwide, affecting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and race-based scholarships.