Finally!\u00a0 I’ve spent the summer planning to announce the launch of my first blog that would empower college access advocates, students and parents to really challenge their views of the financial aid process. A journalism major, I was excited to finally return to my first love, writing, especially since I have so many passionate opinions about the financial aid process, low-income families, and the college access community as a whole.\u00a0 Like most bloggers, I outlined a series of topics, some controversial, some educational, that I hoped would spark conversations, then collaboratives, then\u2026 a Financial Aid Revolution!<\/p>\n
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And then Michael Brown case happened. While the country has responded in varying degrees of outrage for me there was a distinct sadness as I honed in on the fact that Michael was preparing to go to attend his first college class just days before he was killed.\u00a0 These past few weeks one question lingered in my thoughts, \u201cWhat happens when being \u2018college material\u201d isn\u2019t enough?\u201d<\/p>\n
As an Open Society Foundation Black Male Achievement Fellow, I set out to prove to 1000 black males that college was a realistic possibility this past academic year.\u00a0 While admirable, I can\u2019t help but feel a tinge of frustration, because no matter how many Scholarship Lunches or Boot Camps we host with black males across the country, the Michael Brown case illuminates the reality that simply getting black males into college isn\u2019t enough.\u00a0 If Brown, just days away from the college dream could meet such a horrendous fate, who am I to tell black boys that college is the gateway to success?<\/p>\n
The answer, for me, lies in sheer numbers.\u00a0 If I can play even a small part in helping 100 Michael Brown\u2019s enroll in college, then maybe, just maybe, my work can help move the needle in re-defining what \u201ccollege material\u201d looks like in urban communities.\u00a0 This is the heart of the Financial Aid Revolution.\u00a0 It\u2019s about a challenge to young people, to college access providers, and even to parents, to take ownership of the financial aid process.\u00a0 It is my hope that this blog will serve as a platform for thought leaders to share ideas, to engage in dialogue and ultimately to create an environment where all students, regardless of socioeconomic status, are viewed as college material.\u00a0 Stay tuned!<\/p>\n
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Washington Post. We all know the story. Every year the articles are always the same. Predictable even. We all know that the cost of college is rising. We all know that for low-income\/first-generation students the burden is overwhelmingly disproportionate. What I\u2019m about to say might be a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Financial Aid Revolution"","block_context":{"text":"Financial Aid Revolution","link":"https:\/\/scholarshipacademy.org\/online\/category\/jessica\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scholarshipacademy.org\/online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Tawanda-Pic-e1493474190320.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scholarshipacademy.org\/online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Tawanda-Pic-e1493474190320.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scholarshipacademy.org\/online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Tawanda-Pic-e1493474190320.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scholarshipacademy.org\/online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Tawanda-Pic-e1493474190320.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1981,"url":"https:\/\/scholarshipacademy.org\/online\/video-i-am-college-material-scholarship-fair\/","url_meta":{"origin":450,"position":1},"title":"VIDEO: I am College Material Scholarship Fair","author":"Christopher","date":"January 8, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"","rel":"","context":"In "Financial Aid Revolution"","block_context":{"text":"Financial Aid Revolution","link":"https:\/\/scholarshipacademy.org\/online\/category\/jessica\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2508,"url":"https:\/\/scholarshipacademy.org\/online\/i-am-college-material-project\/","url_meta":{"origin":450,"position":2},"title":"I AM College Material Project","author":"JJohnson","date":"August 28, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"[section background_repeat=\"repeat\" background_position=\"center top\" background_attachment=\"static\" background_scroll=\"none\"] [one_third valign=\"top\" animation=\"none\"] [box style=\"simple\"] WORKSHOPS [\/box] [\/one_third] [one_third valign=\"top\" animation=\"none\"] [box style=\"simple\"] BOOTCAMPS [\/box] [\/one_third] [one_third_last valign=\"top\" animation=\"none\"] [box style=\"simple\"] SCHOLARSHIP FAIR [\/box] [\/one_third_last] [\/section]","rel":"","context":"In "Financial Aid Revolution"","block_context":{"text":"Financial Aid Revolution","link":"https:\/\/scholarshipacademy.org\/online\/category\/jessica\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scholarshipacademy.org\/online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/the-scholarship-academy.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scholarshipacademy.org\/online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/the-scholarship-academy.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scholarshipacademy.org\/online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/the-scholarship-academy.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3977,"url":"https:\/\/scholarshipacademy.org\/online\/op-ed-about-student-loan-debt-in-georgia-for-the-ajc\/","url_meta":{"origin":450,"position":3},"title":"Op-Ed about student loan debt in Georgia for the AJC","author":"Christopher","date":"October 9, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Get Schooled [\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] Your source to discuss and learn about education in Georgia and the nation and share opinions and news with Maureen Downey. [\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] Fault for broken college dreams & soaring debt falls on families, schools and\u00a0state [\/vc_column_text][mk_image src=\"https:\/\/scholarshipacademy.org\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/studentdebt.jpg\" image_size=\"large\" align=\"center\"][vc_column_text] Jessica D. Johnson is founder of\u00a0the Scholarship\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/scholarshipacademy.org\/online\/category\/newsevents\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scholarshipacademy.org\/online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/studentdebt.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scholarshipacademy.org\/online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/studentdebt.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scholarshipacademy.org\/online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/studentdebt.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":58,"url":"https:\/\/scholarshipacademy.org\/online\/senior-scholarship-crash-course\/","url_meta":{"origin":450,"position":4},"title":"Senior Scholarship Crash Course","author":"Christopher","date":"February 6, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Dear Families: Re: The Scholarship Academy (TSA) SENIOR SCHOLARSHIP CRASH COURSE!!!!! 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