The Cleveland Browns Foundation Marion Motley Scholarship, managed by College Now Greater Cleveland, seeks two deserving students who will graduate from high school in 2018 to receive a four-year, renewable scholarship.
The $10,000 scholarship ($2,500 per year for four years) opens up opportunities for motivated students whose long-term career goal includes working in education or for a sports-related organization in a variety of capacities.
"The Marion Motley Scholarship is an important component of our concerted efforts to help eliminate barriers to quality educational opportunities so deserving students have access to great resources and the futures they deserve," said Cleveland Browns Foundation vice president Renee Harvey. "We are proud to support this scholarship through College Now Greater Cleveland, especially as we follow all of the past recipients' success during and after college."
Now in its 13th year, the Cleveland Browns' and College Now Greater Cleveland's partnership for the Marion Motley Scholarship provides an opportunity for Northeast Ohio high school seniors to pursue their dreams of receiving a college education. The scholarship has awarded more than $240,000 to 24 students from the region. Among Marion Motely Scholarship recipients, 92 percent have graduated or are on track to graduate, significantly surpassing the 18 percent national average among comparable demographics.
Students must be enrolled in a Northeast Ohio high school, be on track to graduate at the end of the 2017-18 academic year, and plan to enroll in a two- or four-year college in 2018 in order to apply. They also must meet the following minimum qualifications: 2.5 cumulative grade point average through junior year in high school and a score of 18 on the ACT or 860 on the SAT.
Last year, Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas surprised Anthony Harris of Whitney Young School and Aiyana Green of John Hay with the news that they would receive the 2016 scholarships during a visit to the team's facility in Berea. Harris and Green were chosen from a pool of more than 350 applicants.
Steve Saed, a 2013 recipient majoring in finance and minoring in economics and statistics at the University of Pittsburgh, is set to graduate summa cum laude this spring. He recently accepted a job with JPMorgan Chase in New York City.
"The Marion Motley scholarship was instrumental to my success during college; the financial support provided through the scholarship eased a lot of the stress of paying for college on my own and allowed me to apply more time and effort towards extracurricular activities and classes rather than working a job during the semester," Saed said.
"Because of this, I was able to devote more time towards attaining leadership roles in my organizations and doing better in my courses; this helped me build a better resume and ultimately earn a position with J.P. Morgan. I'm forever grateful for the opportunity to have had the support of the Cleveland Browns Foundation throughout my collegiate career; it has been a key reason for my success."
Saja Abid, a 2013 recipient set to graduate from Cleveland State this spring with degree in health science, recently accepted an internship at University Hospitals to be a mentor in the Health Scholars program.
"I have realized that I love being a part of the community and helping individuals out. Even though I will be graduating on the pre- physician assistant track, I think for the next couple of years I will be interning at different positions within the healthcare field to figure out which area intrigues me the most," Abid said.
"The Cleveland Browns Foundation scholarship has helped me tremendously because without it, I would not have been able to make it this far in my education. The scholarship has taken a load off of my shoulders for the fact that I did not have to worry about finding ways to pay my tuition here at Cleveland State. Instead my focus was more on my grades and bettering my academic career … Thank you so much for believing in me and helping me achieve my goals of being the first one in my close and extended family to graduate with a four-year degree."
Aiyanna Green, a senior at the Cleveland School of Science and Medicine who's set to attend Miami University in the fall, said the support of the Cleveland Browns Foundation "brings me both joy and comfort."
"Winning the Marion Motley scholarship has allowed me to attend the school of my dreams with little to no debt," she said. "It has truly been an honor to be a part of The Cleveland Browns Foundation family and I thank you for all your support."
The Cleveland Browns Marion Motley Scholarship, a four-year, renewable scholarship in the amount of $2,500 per year ($10,000 each), honors former Browns fullback and linebacker Marion Motley, who overcame many obstacles to break ground as one of the first African-American players in the NFL and played with the Browns from 1946-53.
Enshrined in 1968, Motley was the second African-American inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his native Canton. He was a charter member of the Cleveland Browns Legends program in 2001 and was enshrined in the Cleveland Browns Ring of Honor's inaugural class of 2010.
Applicants must be high school seniors who will graduate in Spring 2018 and plan to major in areas that could lead to a career working in education or sports, such as but not limited to: accounting, business, communications, event management, exercise science, finance, graphic, design, human resources, information technology, journalism, kinesiology, marketing/advertising, public relations or sports management.
The scholarship is aimed at first-generation, low-income students, providing them with the support and resources they need to continue their educational career. The Cleveland Browns Foundation and College Now Greater Cleveland are proud to say that 92 percent of past recipients have graduated or are on track to graduate in six years.
About the Cleveland Browns and Browns Give Back:
The Cleveland Browns give back to Northeast Ohio with a commitment to education and youth football while engaging the community through the team's signature First and Ten volunteer movement. For more information, visit www.clevelandbrowns.com/community.
About College Now Greater Cleveland, Inc.:
College Now provides Greater Cleveland students with guidance and access to funds to prepare for and graduate from college. For nearly 50 years, our goal has been to help students pursue educational opportunities that empower them to embark on rewarding careers and strengthen our community.
College Now assists more than 27,000 students each year, delivering college access advising, financial aid counseling, and scholarship and retention services in Greater Cleveland schools, in the College Now Resource Center and through community-based programs. For more information, visit www.collegenowgc.org.
