About Our Scholars | Southern Scholars

OUR SCHOLARS

We are incredibly proud to recognize our very first scholarship recipients - Mr. Larry Sanders and Ms. Sheila Serrano-Flores. Both Larry and Sheila fully embody Southern Scholars Initiative's three core principles of education, determination, and generosity and we know they will continue to make us proud when they begin college this fall. Congratulations, Larry and Sheila, we look forward to supporting your success!

Larry Darnell Sanders, Jr. is the 2019 recipient of the Dr. Doretha Pressey Academic Scholarship. Larry will be attending South Carolina State University this fall and he plans to study Mechanical Engineering. Throughout his high school career Larry was an honor roll student, a scholar athlete, and a member of the STEAM club. He did all of this while also maintaining a part-time job. Larry was selected for this award because of his impressive academic record, his strong work ethic, and his very moving essay. Larry will be granted an $18,000 award over the course of four years.

2019 Recipient of the Dr. Doretha Pressey Scholarship

MR. LARRY SANDERS

Sheila Serrano Flores is the 2019 recipient of the Mrs. Clara Mae Coleman Prize. Sheila will be attending the University of South Carolina at Aiken this fall and she plans to study Early Childhood Development. Throughout her high school career, Sheila was an honor roll student, a member of STEM club and a student artist. Sheila was selected for this award because of her impressive academic record and her strong desire to give back and help others. Sheila will be granted a $6,000 award over the course of two years.

2019 Recipient of the Mrs. Clara Mae Coleman Prize

MS. SHEILA SERRANO-FLORES

Larry Sanders presented with the 2019 Dr. Doretha Pressey Scholarship while working at McDonald's

A Special Southern Scholars

Surprise at Work!

Larry Sanders was not able to accept the Dr. Doretha Pressey Scholarship during his high school's awards ceremony, because he had to work his Friday evening shift at McDonald's. Because we so admire his work ethic and because we did not want him to miss out on such a special moment, the entire Southern Scholars team decided to surprise Larry by presenting him with the scholarship at his job. Watch as our Board Chair, Robbie Pressey shares the good news!

This incredible moment was also featured in the Times and Democrat Newspaper. To read the beautifully written story, follow this link.

THANK YOU 2019 APPLICANTS!

Photo 1 2019 Southern Scholars Award Rec

In addition to Larry Sanders and Sheila Serrano-Flores, we also received scholarship applications from Sanaa Coleman, ZayAunna Beard, Amara Tyler, and Keandra Kearse (photographed above with Sheila Serrano-Flores). These students are all incredibly impressive and they made the task of selecting just two recipients a very difficult one. The Southern Scholars team presented each of these students with a gift card in the amount of $250, to express our appreciation to them for helping to make our inaugural year such a success, and to assist them with book fees and other college essentials. Thank you Scholars, we wish you all great success!

WHAT OUR SCHOLARS ARE SAYING

“THIS SCHOLARSHIP WILL HELP ME BE MORE FINANCIALLY STABLE FOR MY FOUR YEARS AT SC STATE UNIVERSITY. THE MORE FINANCIALLY STABLE I AM, THE MORE I CAN FOCUS ON MY CLASSES."

LARRY SANDERS / SOUTHERN SCHOLAR

“THIS SCHOLARSHIP WILL HELP ME BY PAYING FOR PART OF MY TUITION. I DON'T WANT MONEY TO GET IN THE WAY OF MY DREAM OF GOING TO COLLEGE."

SHEILA SERRANO-FLORES/ SOUTHERN SCHOLAR

HELP US CONTINUE TO MAKE THE DREAM OF COLLEGE A REALITY FOR PROMISING SCHOLARS LIKE LARRY AND SHEILA.

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SOUTHERN SCHOLARS