Coppin State University and Featherstone Foundation Announce Strategic Partnership

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The William & Lanaea C. Featherstone Foundation

Jul 01, 2021, 08:30 ET

BALTIMORE, July 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The William & Lanaea C. Featherstone Foundation and Coppin State University announce a strategic partnership that will create economic and professional opportunities for students from underrepresented communities. In 2021, the partnership will award $3,000 Featherstone HBCU Scholarships to high academic achieving students. This initiative is part of the Featherstone Foundation's College and Career Readiness portfolio that will award 30 college scholarships through a $68,000 fund this year.

The "Featherstone HBCU Scholarships" underscore the Featherstone Foundation's commitment to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The Foundation offers merit-based awards for higher education and paid internship opportunities for Baltimore City students to gain professional experience at leading corporations.

"We are very pleased to partner with the Featherstone Foundation to provide much-needed scholarship support to our students. We are also thankful for the support given by State Farm to strengthen this effort," said Dr. Ahmed El-Haggan, vice president for information technology and institutional advancement, Coppin State University. "As an HBCU, Coppin State provides wrap-around services and support to address the particular needs of our students in order to prepare them for success."

"Our initiatives help foster academic equity and address disparities in higher education for traditionally underrepresented students,'' said Lanaea C. Featherstone, CEO, William & Lanaea C. Featherstone Foundation and co-chair, Open Society Institute-Baltimore's Fellows' Advisory Board. "The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated financial challenges for students making our programs more vital now than ever."

"State Farm is delighted to support the Featherstone Foundation in their efforts to provide economic opportunities for underrepresented communities," said Lonzo Warren, owner, State Farm Agency and alumni, Coppin State University. "We believe that bestowing these awards to outstanding students will help them achieve their academic and professional goals."

The Featherstone Foundation's College and Career Readiness initiatives help mitigate the dire economic strain students face in pursuit of higher education and lessen the burden of student loan debt, so that graduation can be more attainable.

The 2021 inaugural Coppin State University's Featherstone HBCU College Scholarship Award recipients are:

Dayson Brooks, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
Cathryn Lane, College of Health Professions
Joseph Manu, College of Arts, Sciences and Education
Michael Michael, College of Business

Since 2017, the Featherstone Foundation has awarded over $156,000 in scholarships through 72 awards to students from 19 countries who now attend Coppin State University, Cornell University, Goucher College, Morgan State University, Northwestern University, The University of Baltimore, St. Mary's College of Maryland and the University of Maryland.

The Featherstone HBCU Scholarships at Coppin State University are powered by State Farm.

SOURCE The William & Lanaea C. Featherstone Foundation