Dr Doretha Pressey Southern Scholars Initiative, Inc.

Southern Scholars Initiative, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is a comprehensive scholarship and college completion program with a fervent commitment to fostering access, equity, and success for students of color hailing from economically disadvantaged communities in rural Southern regions of our country.

Our overarching mission is rooted in the aspiration to dismantle the cyclical nature of poverty that unfortunately ensnares the communities we serve. We ardently believe in the transformative power of education, and, to this end, we have outlined five key objectives to guide our efforts and positively impact the lives of our Scholars.

Firstly, we strive to empower our Scholars to not only gain access to college but also navigate the educational journey successfully, ensuring they emerge as college graduates. This commitment is fundamental to disrupting the prevailing patterns of limited educational attainment that contribute to the perpetuation of poverty.

In pursuit of our second goal, we are dedicated to assisting our Scholars in graduating with minimal or no debt. Recognizing the financial barriers that often impede students from low-income backgrounds, we work diligently to alleviate the burden of student loans, enabling our Scholars to embark on their post-collegiate journeys with a solid foundation.

Our third objective revolves around facilitating a seamless transition for our Scholars into their chosen careers. We understand that the true measure of success extends beyond the conferral of a degree; it encompasses the ability to leverage that education to secure meaningful and sustainable employment. Through mentorship, career guidance, and networking opportunities, we aim to equip our Scholars with the tools necessary to flourish in their professional endeavors.

Importantly, we recognize the transformative potential of experiential learning in broadening horizons and igniting a passion for exploration. To this end, our fourth objective is to provide our Scholars with annual opportunities to participate in educational trips to various destinations with great cultural significance. For many of our students, these trips mark their first experience on an airplane, breaking barriers imposed by poverty and opening doors to new possibilities. These excursions are not just journeys; they are gateways to a world of knowledge and experiences that extend beyond the confines of their immediate circumstances.

Lastly, but equally significant, is our emphasis on nurturing a spirit of reciprocity within our Scholars. We envision a future where our graduates, having overcome socio-economic challenges, return to their hometowns as agents of positive change. By instilling a sense of community responsibility, we aspire to see our Scholars give back to the very communities that shaped their journeys, thereby fostering a cycle of empowerment for future generations.

1. Recognizing that access is a crucial first step toward success, we are committed to providing financial support and financial literacy to our Southern Scholars. Our goal is to not only aid them in receiving a college education but also help them develop the financial acumen to earn their college degrees in the most fiscally responsible way possible with little to no debt.
2. Academic success is a core part of the Southern Scholars program and to that end,
we aim to provide holistic guidance for our scholars in pursuit of their successful postsecondary degree completion.
3. We aim to ensure that Scholars receive the preparation and guidance needed to build successful and gratifying careers. A hallmark of our career readiness preparation is mentorship. Scholars are paired with mentors who assist them in making informed career decisions, learning about the value of networking, and securing internships while in school and full- time positions after graduation.
4. With our focus on Service, we intend to instill the value of giving back to the community as well as promote civic engagement and leadership development among Scholars. Dr. Doretha Pressey committed her life to generously helping those in need. “To whom much is given, much is required” was one of the tenets by which she lived her life, and her example inspired us to make service a core part of the program.
5. Because of limited resources and opportunities, many of our Scholars have never traveled outside of their home state. We are committed to changing this because we know that travel provides an immersive, firsthand experience of different environments, cultures, and perspectives that cannot be fully understood or appreciated through textbooks, classes, or online resources alone. Each year, we aim to give our Scholars the chance to travel to a selected destination. Prior to their trip, Scholars are tasked with finding and selecting culturally relevant landmarks to visit and study. They will each provide at the conclusion of their trip a summary of their findings.

We have awarded more than $250,000 in scholarships and other aid to 16 remarkable Scholars who are enrolled in or have graduated from colleges and universities throughout North and South Carolina (Each Southern Scholar receives up to $18,000 in aid).
Our incredibly hard-working Scholars have consistently maintained an average 3.4 GPA.
We have a persistence rate of 100%. Our first Scholar graduated Summa Cum Laude, one full semester before expected.
We have built and deployed a world-class college completion advising program to support our Scholars.
We have developed an innovative and impactful mentorship program specifically designed to address our Scholars’ needs. To date, each of our Scholars has been paired with a highly accomplished professional who is wholly committed to their academic, personal, and professional growth and success.
We provided more than $10,000 in donations of Personal Protective Equipment to all schools and students in Bamberg County during the pandemic.
We have developed a remarkable community of support. In addition to our wonderful private donors, we have also attracted our first corporate sponsor. We also are honored to have The National College Attainment Network (NCAN), The College Board, InternXL, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. as partners.
We have completed two educational trips for our Scholars, the first to New York City and the second to New Orelans, LA. Our third trip will be to Chicago, Illinois in the summer of 2024.