An Albany State University student was awarded the United Negro College Fund Procter & Gamble Scholarship for her ability to perform and excel academically.
 
William Dunham, senior relationship manager at the United Negro College Fund, announced in January that Paris Brown, a senior business information system major from Atlanta, would receive a $5,000 scholarship for the 2016-2017 academic year.  
 
“Receiving this scholarship not only helps me to get closer and closer to my long-term goal of becoming and IT/informatics specialist, it also boosts my self-confidence,” Brown said.
 
The UNCF Procter & Gamble General Scholarship is available for academically achieving undergraduate students at any accredited four-year college or university within the United States. The scholarship provides financial assistance to ensure students have access to a quality college education. The scholarship concentrates on targeted fields in business, information technology and public relations.
 
Brown sees the scholarship as an investment in her future. She currently works part-time on campus while taking 16 credit hours per semester. She said the award will provide some relief to her and her family and will allow her to focus less on how to pay for college and more on her studies.
 
"When STEM-related business and industry partners recognize the importance of investing in the education of our business information systems majors, such an investment is evidence of the need to further engage our efforts toward finding ways to partner to improve our curriculum to ensure that we meet the industry needs, while supporting our student's goals of preparing for a competitive market," said Kathaleena Edward Monds, professor of information systems and co-director of the Albany State University Center for Economic Education/Small and Minority Entrepreneurship.
 
In addition to specific degree area requirements, scholarship recipients must have a minimum 3.0 GPA; be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national or permanent resident; and be a college freshman, sophomore, junior, senior or fifth year senior.
 
“I am extremely excited and looking forward to working in a solid career in less than five years,” Brown said.
 
Her awards, recognitions, leadership roles and academic achievements include the dean’s list, Sigma Alpha Pi Honorary and Leadership Society, the Student Government Association and membership in the Trusted Leaders of Campus.