Created in honor of The ELC’s founding member, the first president and CEO of The Council and an alumnus of Howard University, the Alvaro L. Martins scholarship is open to high achieving undergraduate black male students attending one of the nation’s top Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). A total of ten (10) scholarships are available. The top ten (10) scholarship awardees will receive a one-time scholarship in the amount of $12,000 each to assist with educational expenses for the 2020-2021 academic year. The scholarship will be disbursed in the fall and spring semesters at $6,000 per semester.

Essay Topic:

As a founding member of The ELC, Alvaro L. Martins and other black executives banded together to create a community for black business leaders. These trailblazers sought to create a safe space that allowed for the sharing of best business practices and ideas while serving as a collective body to address issues plaguing the development and sustainability of the black business community and educational system. They demonstrated what can happen when purpose and passion collide. The results of their efforts are still evident today, 30 years later, through the many initiatives of The ELC.

Questions:

1. What leadership qualities do you believe Alvaro L. Martins and the other black executives possessed in order to be successful in corporate America?
2. What three (3) qualities do you possess as a rising business leader and how will you use those qualities to influence business decisions and make an impact in the business world and in our community?
3. Upon graduation, what are your professional goals and aspirations. Will you follow the corporate track, or do you have an entrepreneurial spirit? How will you continue to reach back by serving and supporting your community?
4. As you prepare for the future, how has your passion and/or purpose influenced the career path you have chosen to pursue? What steps are you taking to fulfill that dream?

Essay Requirements:

Applicants are required to respond to each question. Each response must be a minimum of 500 words, single-space.

Video Requirement:

Each applicant must submit a 3 - 5 minute video answering the following questions:

1. What differentiates you from the other applicants and how have your experiences shaped you as an individual?
2. What is your vision and strategy for becoming a future black business leader?

GPA Requirement: 2.8

Named after the first woman chair of The Council and former chairman and CEO of Young & Rubicam Brands, the Ann Fudge Scholarship is open to high achieving undergraduate black female students attending one of the nation’s top Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). A total of ten (10) scholarships are available. The top ten (10) scholarship awardees will receive a one-time scholarship in the amount of $12,000 each to assist with educational expenses for the 2020-2021 academic year. The scholarship will be disbursed in the fall and spring semesters at $6,000 per semester.

Essay Topic:

As an aspiring black woman business leader, it is important to understand the following statistics related to financial well-being:

• Black women working full-time earn $0.61 for every dollar earned by white men (Source: Institute for Women’s Policy Research)
• The net worth of black households in the U.S. is less than 15% of that of white households (Source: Federal Reserve Board) Net worth is calculated wealth by adding up total assets (e.g., cash, retirement accounts, home, etc.) then subtracting liabilities (e.g., credit card debt, student loans, mortgage, etc.)
• In 2016, the average household wealth for black families in the U.S. was $138,200. Nearly one in five black families has zero or negative net worth (having debts that exceed assets) (Source: Federal Reserve Board)

Questions:

1. What factors and trends do you think have contributed to the earning and wealth gap for black women?
2. As you enter the workforce over the next several years and begin to have significant earnings and income, what action(s) can you take to improve your financial knowledge and well-being both in the short and long term?
3. What are your immediate goals around savings and investments?
4. What information would be helpful to share with your peers to increase their financial literacy?

Essay Requirements:

Applicants are required to respond to each question. Each response must be a minimum of 500 words, single-space.

Video Requirement:

Each applicant must submit a 3 - 5 minute YouTube video answering the following questions:

1. What differentiates you from the other applicants and how have your experiences shaped you as an individual?
2. What is your vision and strategy for becoming a future black business leader?

GPA Requirement: 2.8

Sponsored by The Coca-Cola Foundation, this scholarship program is open to high achieving undergraduate black students attending a four-year college or university. Ten (10) scholarship awardees will receive a one-time scholarship ranging between $7,000 - $14,000 to assist with educational expenses for the 2020-2021 academic year. Scholarship awards that exceed $10,000 will be disbursed in the fall and spring semesters.

Essay Topic:

The ELC invests and assists in the development of the next generation of black business leaders.To bridge the recruitment gap between our corporate partners and top diverse talent, what do you believe attracts the best candidates to potential employers?

Questions:

1. When identifying potential employers, please describe the key business principles that are most important in your selection process.
2. What are the factors that are critical to your decision-making process?
3. How can potential employers attract and retain top performing talent, specifically black talent and does race matter in talent retention? (i.e. the organization’s reputation, development opportunities within a company, the product or service the company provides, etc.)
4. What types of positions would you be interested in post-graduation and why? Does the geographic location of an opportunity matter (domestic and international) at the beginning stages of your career?

Essay Requirements:

Applicants are required to respond to each question. Each response must be a minimum of 500 words, single-space.

Video Requirement:

Each applicant must submit a 3 - 5 minute video answering the following questions:

• What differentiates you from the other applicants and how have your experiences shaped you as an individual?
• What is your vision and strategy for becoming a future black business leader?

GPA Requirement: 2.8

Sponsored by Linde, this scholarship was established to provide opportunities for high-performing, minority college students pursuing careers in engineering. The Linde Engineers of Tomorrow Scholarship is open to high achieving undergraduate black students currently attending a four-year college or university and pursuing a mechanical or chemical engineering degree. Three (3) scholarship awardees will receive a one-time, need-based scholarship in the amount of $12,000 each to assist with educational expenses for the 2020-2021 academic year. The scholarship will be disbursed in the fall and spring semesters at $6,000 per semester.

Questions:

• What challenges have you overcome in achieving your undergraduate education?
• Who or what influenced you to pursue a career in the engineering field? Whom do you consider a trailblazer in the engineering industry? Please explain.
• Please identify a woman in the STEM industry who you consider to be a trailblazer. Why did you choose her?
• Briefly describe your short and long-term goals (academic and career goals). How do you plan to achieve them?
• Please describe the types of leadership roles you have held. How do you intend to be a leader in your community?

Essay Requirements:

Applicants are required to respond to each question. Each response must be a minimum of 800 words, single-space.

Video Requirement:

Each applicant must submit a 3 - 5 minute YouTube video answering the following questions:

• What differentiates you from the other applicants and how have your experiences shaped you as an individual?
• What is your vision and strategy for becoming a future black business leader?

GPA Requirement: 3.0

Sponsored by Nationwide, this scholarship program will provide scholarship awards to high achieving black students who are pursuing degrees in business, insurance and risk management, or a related field. Ten (10) scholarship awardees will receive a one-time, need-based scholarship in the amount of $12,000 each to assist with educational expenses for the 2020 – 2021 academic year. The scholarship will be disbursed in the fall and spring semesters at $6,000 per semester.

Essay Topic:

As one of America’s most diversified financial services companies, we’re trusted advisors to our members — offering a breadth of solutions like home and auto insurance, life insurance, retirement savings tools and more. And how do we accomplish it all? By hiring and retaining associates who are as driven and caring as you. We’re a leader in the insurance industry because we’re a company where you can do meaningful work every day and where the effort you put in is acknowledged and rewarded. Join us and be something great.

Questions:

• What factors influence you when deciding on a profession/career after college?
• What does Nationwide currently offer that makes the company attractive to you as a potential employer?
• What suggestions can you provide to improve Nationwide’s brand, social presence, community engagement and user experience to ensure an optimal candidate experience for millennials/Generation Z?
• Please share your perspective on the importance of diverse collaboration and its impact on product innovation?

Essay Requirements:

Applicants are required to respond to each question. Each response must be a minimum of 800 words, single-space.

Video Requirement:

Each applicant must submit a 3 - 5 minute YouTube video answering the following questions:

• What differentiates you from the other applicants and how have your experiences shaped you as an individual?
• What is your vision and strategy for becoming a future black business leader?

GPA Requirement: 3.5

Sponsored by Bristol-Myers Squibb, this scholarship provides scholarship awards to high achieving black students who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership, a commitment to innovation and are pursuing a degree in in Business or STEM at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). Ten (10) scholarship awardees will receive a one-time, scholarship in the amount of $10,000 each to assist with educational expenses for the 2020-2021 academic year. The scholarship will be disbursed in the fall and spring semesters at $5,000 per semester.

Company Statement:

At Bristol-Myers Squibb, we work every day to transform patients’ lives through science. We combine the agility of a biotech with the reach and resources of an established pharmaceutical company to create a global leading biopharma company powered by talented individuals who drive scientific innovation. Our employees around the world work together for patients – patients are at the center of everything we do. They inspire us. They are the reason we come to work each day.

Your diverse experiences and perspectives can help to bring out our best ideas, drive innovation and achieve transformative business results.

Questions:

• BMS’s mission is centered around passion, innovation, urgency, accountability, inclusion and integrity. Please share your 5 core values and explain their importance in your life
• Share 3-5 recruitment tactics that Bristol Myers-Squibb can use when recruiting on HBCU campuses
• Please share your perspective on the importance of diversity and inclusion and the impact on health inequities
• How can organizations encourage more women and minorities to pursue a degree/career in STEM. What recommendations would you present to address the uneven demographics?

Essay Requirements:

Applicants are required to respond to each question. Each response must be a minimum of 800 words, single-space.

Video Requirement:

Each applicant must submit a 3 - 5 minute YouTube video answering the following questions:

• What differentiates you from the other applicants and how have your experiences shaped you as an individual?
• What is your vision and strategy for becoming a future black business leader?

GPA Requirement: 3.2

Sponsored by United Technologies Corporation, this scholarship program will provide scholarship awards to high achieving black students attending Carnegie Mellon University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Howard University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University or Penn State University who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership, a commitment to community involvement and are pursuing a degree in a STEM, Business Management, or a related field. Five (5) scholarship awardees will receive a one-time scholarship in the amount of $8,000 each to assist with educational expenses for the 2020-2021 academic year.

Company Statement:

United Technologies is a leader in aerospace. Our large investments in technology enable us to develop new and improved ways to keep people safe, comfortable, productive and on the move. By combining a passion for science with precision engineering, we create smart, sustainable solutions. We are a global technology company founded by some of the world’s greatest inventors and committed to tackling some of society’s biggest challenges. We are a great company with a great future, but we’re only as good as our people. We recognize that companies don’t innovate, people do. We recognize the value in bringing new people together and elevating their ideas. We rely on our employees to find new solutions, stay ahead of the competition, and disrupt traditional ways of thinking and we seek individuals with the skills to get the job done – and aspirations to learn, grow and be challenged.

Questions:

• What two or three things are most important for us to know about you as we review your application?
• What contributions have you made to your collegiate community to-date?
• What factors influence you when deciding on a profession/career after college?
• What two or three recommendations can you provide to build United Technologies’ employment brand, social presence, and community engagement to ensure an optimal candidate experience for the next generation of leaders?
• What else would like us to know about your application?

Essay Requirements:

Applicants are required to respond to each question. Each response must be a minimum of 500 words, single-space.

Video Requirement:

Each applicant must submit a 3 - 5 minute YouTube video answering the following questions:

• What differentiates you from the other applicants and how have your experiences shaped you as an individual?
• What is your vision and strategy for becoming a future black business leader?

GPA Requirement: 3.0