Each student receives a $10,000 award for tuition, books, school fees, and other education essentials. The 2007 awards represent a substantial increase over previous years’ amounts thanks in part to efforts of the recently established UPO Corporate Support Committee.

The UPO/Joseph A. Beavers Scholarship recipients for 2007 are from left: Berta Gonzalez, a graduate of Bell Multicultural in Northwest Washington, DC. An honor student, she plans to fulfill her destiny and major in Business Administration at Barry University, located in Miami Shores, Florida. Jermaine Mathis graduated from H.D. Woodson High School and plans to study Sports Training at Johnson C. Smith University located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Sue-Ling Li is a dedicated young lady who graduated from Banneker High School. She will attend Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia and study Theatrical and Fashion Design. Melinda Prescott also graduated from Banneker High School and will study Fashion Merchandising at The Art Institute of Philadelphia. Janelle Ricks is a graduate of Ballou High School and plans to study Nursing at the University of the District of Columbia.

Meanwhile, two previous UPO scholarship recipients were awarded Masters degrees. Serena Walkin (2001) was awarded an MPA in Public Affairs and Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University; Eric Littleford (1999) received an MS in Public Policy from the Rochester Institute of Technology located in New York. Moreover, in a first for UPO, a scholarship recipient is now studying abroad. Sharnetta Tyler (2005) is taking courses in Tanzania as part of her overall Georgetown University studies.

Since its 1990 inauguration, UPO has awarded scholarships to more than 116 deserving District of Columbia high school and G.E.D. graduates. The UPO/Joseph A. Beavers Scholarship fund is named for the late DC labor, civic, and community leader who for many years served as a member of the United Planning Organization’s governing body.