COVID-19 Response
July 24, 2020
As a result of COVID-19, ScholarCHIPS has had to pivot to providing and conducting our one-on-one mentor and mentee orientations, mentoring activities, and events for scholars to 100% virtual methods. We have also had to shift our focus to ensure that our scholars’ urgent and emergency needs were and are being met during the COVID-19 pandemic. ScholarCHIPS also had to cancel its gala, which was scheduled for November 2020. This will significantly impact our fundraising efforts this year (FY2021). Please read below to learn more details of the steps we have taken since March 2020.
COVID-19 Response
When the COVID-19 virus hit the United States hard in March 2020 and stay-at-home orders were mandated, ScholarCHIPS learned that our scholars were forced to evacuate their campuses. Several scholars were already home on spring break at the time, and many colleges and universities would not let students come back to campus to gather their belongings. The national pandemic presented numerous challenges for our scholars. Many of our scholars work campus jobs or work jobs off campus to support themselves, but due to COVID-19 they were not able to return to work. ScholarCHIPS scholars struggled with challenges such as the ability to: access sanitation items, access technology, pay rent and tuition, and purchase food.
ScholarCHIPS took immediate action and promoted a special fundraising effort, pleading with donors to help the organization raise dollars for our Scholar Emergency Fund. We ultimately raised over $10,000. As a result, ScholarCHIPS was able to immediately address scholars’ urgent needs within two weeks of receiving the Scholar Emergency Fund donations. For two of our scholars, we covered tuition gaps so that they could remain enrolled and in good standing at their universities and register for their fall classes; for two scholars, we purchased brand new laptops so that they could successfully complete their online classes, final papers, presentations and exams (one student previously was writing her papers and completing homework on her cell phone); for one scholar living in a food desert, we were able to provide funds (to her via CashApp) to purchase food; and we were able to assist several scholars with rent payments. In addition, since March, two of our scholars have lost loved ones and the organization sent them each bereavement fruit baskets and bereavement financial gifts.
We know that as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to persist and as a second surge in cases will emerge later this year, our scholars will have other needs that will arise, so we will need to replenish our Scholar Emergency Fund to ensure that we are ready to respond to those needs quickly. The good news is that our scholars continue to be enrolled in their collegiate programs, have adjusted well and are doing well in their classes.
One-on-One Mentorship
In May 2020, ScholarCHIPS paired 22 active scholars with individual mentors. Mentors went through a rigorous vetting process that included completing an application, completing a background check, submitting references, attending an orientation and signing a mentor agreement. ScholarCHIPS mentors have committed to check-in with our scholars at least once a week, for an average of four hours a month, for an entire year. Thus far, the organization has received very positive feedback from both mentors and scholars. Mentors are coming up with creative ways to engage their mentees in discussions, such as sending them articles to read, and talking with them about shared interests (i.e. sports, entrepreneurship, art, etc.). Some mentors are already helping scholars find jobs and internships they can work virtually this summer and this coming fall. The organization is preparing to send out a survey to mentors and mentees to gain more insights on how these mentor-mentee relationships are going thus far. ScholarCHIPS is currently establishing a new position for a Mentorship Program Coordinator for FY2021.
Accomplishments and Events
On Saturday, June 27, 2020, ScholarCHIPS held a town hall on Zoom, so that scholars could have a safe, virtual space to express their challenges and successes in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, share updates on their parents (incarcerated and recently released), how they have adjusted to completing their college coursework online, having drive-by graduation celebrations and how they are faring amongst the racially-motivated murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd. Scholars expressed that they enjoy meeting with each other virtually to talk and share, so we will host these sessions at least once a month.
On July 9, 2020, ScholarCHIPS received notice that the organization has been selected as a 2020-2021 Fair Chance Praxis Partner after a competitive selection process. Fair Chance is a nonprofit organization in Washington, DC whose mission is to “strengthen the sustainability and performance of community-based nonprofits to achieve life-changing results for children and youth experiencing poverty.” The Fair Chance Praxis Partnership is a year-long partnership (this is an in-kind partnership) from September 2020-September 2021, where ScholarCHIPS will be assigned a capacity building specialist who will access the organization in several focus areas, and select two-four areas in which we will strengthen ScholarCHIPS’ infrastructures.
On Saturday, July 11, 2020, ScholarCHIPS held its 9th Annual Awards Ceremony virtually via Zoom. At the Awards Ceremony, we welcomed and celebrated our new cohort of scholars (ten) and we also celebrated our college graduates. Dr. Whitney Q. Hollins, a professor at various CUNY colleges, child of an incarcerated parent, and author of Ana’s Test, served as our keynote speaker. ScholarCHIPS welcomed 10 new scholars this summer and celebrated five college graduates and one graduate student.
One of our alums, Gabriel, graduated from Full Sail University with a Bachelor’s degree in Game Design in February 2020. He started a Master’s Program at the University of Maryland University College on May 20, 2020 to work towards his Master’s in Computer Science. Another young scholar, Delicia, who graduated from Virginia State University this Spring, will begin her Master’s Program in Public Administration at George Mason University in the Fall.
Advocacy
One of our alumni, DeRonte Craig, whose father is currently incarcerated in a prison in Virginia asked ScholarCHIPS to write a letter to both the Governor and the Parole Board of the Commonwealth of Virginia to request a pardon on behalf of his father. ScholarCHIPS Board Chair and I wrote letters in support of releasing DeRonte’s father out on parole, as he has a home and family to return to and, to complete his sentence. He has also demonstrated excellent citizenship and service while behind bars. His father has been incarcerated since he was 23 years old, and is not scheduled for release until 2040, when he will be 65 years old. DeRonte graduated this Spring with his Master’s in Entrepreneurship and Innovation from the University of California Irvine.
Progress and the Future
The organization continues to progress and make great strides towards growth and sustainability, which ultimately will allow us to continue to serve more scholars more efficiently, with more resources.
While we are making great progress, we need to hire some part-time staff to enhance our capacity and continue to provide quality programming for our scholars, and support the growth of our budget so that we can also increase the dollar amount of the scholarships (and add professional counseling services). I am now looking for human resources training and tools so we can prepare to bring on more staff. The organization will also launch a board nomination process and search this fall for people with specific skill sets, experiences and backgrounds, to help us further our mission.
EIN #46-3127898
501(c)3 Charitable Organization
ScholarCHIPS' United Way NCA #9738
ScholarCHIPS' Combined Federal Campaign #81760
(202) 677-0897
ScholarCHIPS, Inc.
P.O. Box 29326
Washington, DC 20017
