A total of 10 D.C. students have been granted a full-ride, $280,000 scholarships to fund their college education at George Washington University, ABC7 reported on March 20.
Syamyia Beach, a 17-year-old Ballou Senior High School student, is one of the students who won the scholarship. Ranked second in her class, Beach has a 4.00 grade point average. She received a fully-funded academic scholarship to cover her four years of college.
“It’s my great pleasure to award a full scholarship to George Washington University to Syamyia Beach,” said Thomas LeBlanc, president of the George Washington University, during the ceremony, where the awards were presented.
Beach will reportedly be the first person in her immediate family to attend college. She said it’s hard to find the money for college. “And it’s hard to strive for the things that you need for college so this scholarship really took a weight off of me and my family’s shoulder,” she said.
According to ABC7, Beach wants to major in business administration and interior design. She is also hoping to get a job on campus during her time in college. “So I know it’s going to be double work time for me. I will have no time to slack,” she said.
Beach’s mother, Toni Davis, said that she was proud of her daughter. “For her to reach for it and actually accomplish it, it makes me feel so awesome as a parent. I couldn’t ask for a better child,” she said.
Stating that 10 scholarships will be given out by the George Washington University, LeBlanc praised the winners, saying each one of those 10 students were “incredible individuals”.
Students of Benjamin Banneker High School, Capital City Public Charter School, Cardoza Education Campus, Columbia Heights Educational Campus, Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, McKinley Technology High School, and Woodrow Wilson High School were also offered scholarships by George Washington University.