Our Season of Unstoppability
Join us in celebrating our family of 431 Exchange Bonus Grant winners!
“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.”
— Maya Angelou
Our 431 Exchange scholarship winners never fail to impress us with their determination and drive. But we also want to make you aware of the families standing behind them, whose hopes and dreams these students carry with them through their college journeys. This became even more clear when we awarded our 431 Exchange Lift Scholarships in late summer and early fall.
These intermittent, additional grants are $431 each, awarded to former scholarship winners who applied for them. “This $431 Lift scholarship will help alleviate some of the financial burdens (for) my mom,” recipient Ta’Kiya Moore wrote in her application, “as she has been constantly trying to make sure I have what I need.”
“I know my mom doesn’t want me using my savings to pay for things,” Ta’Kiya continued, “… but I also know she can’t support me forever no matter how much she tries, and I don’t want her to.” Ta’Kiya, who attends Mississippi’s Tougaloo College, was accepted into the Early Medical School Selection Program at Boston University. One of the requirements is that she spend her senior year in Boston, where expenses will be far higher. Ta’Kiya plans to return to her Mississippi hometown after becoming a doctor and serve patients in underrepresented areas.
These Lift Scholarships from The 431 Exchange are a demonstration that whenever a student first receives one of our regular scholarships, they automatically become part of another family—The 431 Exchange family. We and our donors are deeply invested in these students’ success.
They also inspire us to surpass any limitation in our own work. For example, these grants coincided with Hurricane Ida pummeling southern Louisiana in late August. New Orleans and multiple parishes lost power for days. Jeanne Geoffray, 431 Exchange co-founder, was deeply concerned about a lapse in mail delivery, potentially resulting in a delay for our scholarship winners in the region to receive their checks. Jeanne took to the phone to ensure each and every winner was receiving their funds. One of her inspirations to do so was also the “whatever it takes” attitude of her late mother, Alice Geoffray, the civil rights pioneer whose work The 431 Exchange is dedicated to continuing in the 21st century.
(Note: Thankfully our recipients themselves are OK, however, Hurricane Ida took a toll on one bonus grant winner’s family. More below.)
To celebrate the courage and work ethic of our scholarship family, and that of all the graduates of The Adult Education Center who came before them, we are naming this fall our Season of Unstoppability. In addition to Ta’Kiya, we’d like to re-introduce you to our other Lift Scholarship recipients, who embody that level of fortitude and conviction when it comes to staying true to their paths:
Sasha Layla Williams
is working on her doctorate in clinical psychology at Mississippi’s Jackson State University. Her goal upon graduating is to work as a clinical psychologist within the VA health care system and conduct health disparities research. She will use the funds for tuition.
Mia Robertson
is at Texas’ Baylor University, working on her bachelor’s of science in education. Her plan is to go on for a master’s degree in sports management and work with college sports teams. She will use her grant in part for graduate school applications.
Paulina Webber
is an English major in the pre-law program at New Orleans’ Dillard University. Her plan is to ultimately practice criminal law. She will use her funds for required textbooks and reading materials.
Jay D. Oliphant, Jr.,
a law enforcement officer, is working on his bachelor’s in Unified Public Safety Administration at Northwestern State College of Louisiana. After graduating, his plan is to go for a master’s in Homeland Security and teach in the program he is currently attending. With a son who just started college, Jay will use the funds to balance his family’s financial needs and keep on going with his own education.
Cassidy Valentine
is working on her bachelor’s in biology at Dillard University, with the goal of entering a dental program. She will use the funds to offset the costs of both dental-school applications and the registration for the subsequent admissions test.
Anaya LeBlanc
attends the University of Louisiana at Lafayette as a nursing student. Anaya will use the grant to pay for her room and board at school, which is critical because she cannot attend classes remotely. Anaya’s nursing coursework requires in-class participation, as well as availability for activities and assignments.
D’Asysa Butler
is studying for her bachelor’s in social work at Jackson State University. Her goal in part is to help place children in loving families, as well as help women in need. Her scholarship will be used for tuition.
Catrease Newsome
is pursuing a master’s in criminal justice at Southern University in New Orleans. Catrease’s goal is to start a nonprofit that will rehabilitate juvenile delinquents and counsel their families. Her grant will be used for books and other school supplies.
Skyler Phoenix
is in the computer science program at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. His goals after receiving his bachelor’s are to start a software company, as well as work with or for Google. He is currently commuting to school and will use the scholarship to offset fuel costs.
Anthony Jones
recently graduated from Jackson State University with his master’s degree in social work. He’s now at the University of Denver, pursuing a Ph.D in psychology. He will use the funds for tuition. Anthony wrote us that he is looking forward to paying it forward, through his work or through becoming a 431 Exchange donor in the future. Thank you, Anthony!
Jayla Neco
attends Howard University in Washington, D.C. She is currently a biology major with a minor in chemistry and plans to pursue pharmacy school. Hurricane Ida took a big toll on her family in Louisiana. They had to evacuate, stopping work, thus impacting Jayla’s tuition payment, for which her 431 Exchange Lift Scholarship will be used.
Leandrew Pate III
is at the University of New Orleans, working on admission to the master’s program and currently undergoing training to become a pharmacy technician. His goal is medical school, and he will use his grant to pay for the Medical College Admissions Test.
Jermaine A. Davis
is at Howard University, studying for a bachelor’s in film and television production. He will use the funds for tuition, which will enable him to stay in school and keep going for his degree.
Our recipients took to social media upon receiving their Lift Scholarships, many describing their feelings in one word: “GRATEFUL.” Awardee Catrease Newsome wrote on Facebook, “Because of the constant support of The 431 Exchange, my financial load has been lightened. I really appreciate them for thinking about the adult students …”
We, too, are grateful—to our donors. With their contributions, we are creating the next generation of leaders, linked to their family at The 431 Exchange, where we are always cheering them on.
To help us support educational equality, please consider donating to our scholarship fund.