Scholarships

The Black United Fund of Oregon (BUF-OR) offers two different types of scholarships for students ranging from high school seniors to undergraduate college students. The following two categories represent how BUF-OR defines and breaks up the scholarship application process:

ACCESS Scholarship Application​

Please note that our ACCESS scholarships are open to all applicants, regardless of race or ethnicity.

ACCESS (Achieving College Competency and Success for Students) Scholarships are applied for and awarded based on school selection. Award amounts vary depending on the school scholarship being applied for. Applicants can apply for multiple ACCESS scholarships, or for just one.

Students may be offered multiple ACCESS scholarships, but can only select one scholarship.

ACCESS scholarship funds are held by the individual institutions so the funds are non transferable. There are no income restrictions for ACCESS scholarships.

BUF-OR Scholarship Application

BUF-OR Scholarships honor community leaders and founders of the Black United Fund of Oregon. Awards are made by a committee of community members that represent the student community served. 

Amina Anderson Scholarship
Ron Herndon Scholarship
Charles Jordan Legacy Community Service Scholarship
Dr. Ethel Simon-McWilliams Scholarship
Inspiring Hope Scholarship
The Alliance of Black Nurses Association of Oregon (ABNAO)
The Daniel Smith Special Education Scholarship

After reviewing the scholarships offered above, click below to apply. 

APPLY NOW!

Questions? Email scholarshipsupport@bufor.org 

AMINA ANDERSON SCHOLARSHIP

Amina Anderson dedicated her professional career to improving her community by establishing programs and organizations that improved poor academic performance, enhanced financial literacy among people of color, and fostered philanthropy within the Black community in Oregon.

To pay tribute to Amina Anderson, the Black United Fund of Oregon awards, one-time, non-renewable scholarships to students to pursue higher education at an accredited college or university within the State of Oregon. 

To qualify students must meet the following criteria:

  • Student must identify as Black, African-American, or of African descent.
  • Student can be either a newly admitted college student or a student entering their sophomore, junior, or senior year in college. Note: College students are eligible to apply by invitation only.
  • Student should have a GPA of 2.5 to 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale). This is the same for both high school and college students.
  • Note: Students with higher or lower GPAs are welcome and encouraged to apply, but priority is given to students with GPAs in the 2.5 to 3.5 range.
Ron Herndon

RON HERNDON SCHOLARSHIP

Ron Herndon is a community organizer, educator, and co-founder to numerous community-based organizations. In honor of Ron Herndon, the Black United Fund of Oregon awards a one-time, non-renewable scholarships to students to pursue higher education at the accredited college or university of their choice.

To qualify, students must meet the following criteria:

  • Student must identify as Black, African-American, or of African descent.
  • Student must be a graduating senior in the Portland metro area, entering their first full-time year of post-high school education.
  • Student should have at least a 2.5 to 3.0 cumulative GPA, on a 4.0 GPA scale. Students with GPAs outside of the specified scale are more than welcomed and encouraged to apply, however, priority is given to students within the 2.5 to 3.0 GPA range. This is the same for high school and college students.

CHARLES JORDAN LEGACY COMMUNITY SERVICE SCHOLARSHIP

Charles Jordan was Portland’s first African-American City Commissioner and commitment to youth and education was always a priority during his career in public service. Perhaps the leading advocate of his time in the parks and recreation field, Charles Jordan is one of the architects of the city’s nationally renowned parks system.

After his passing in 2014, a conversation between the family of Charles Jordan and the Black United Fund of Oregon administration resulted in a redefinition of the Charles Jordan Legacy Fund to better capture his goals and desire to increase equitable education access and to better prepare high school students for higher education.

TO QUALIFY, STUDENTS MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:

  • Student must identify as Black, African-American, or of African descent.
  • Student must be an incoming high school freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior attending a private school within the Portland metro area.
  • Student must have a solid belief in the importance of service and a history of service in their community, with a minimum of 20 hours of community service performed each calendar year.
  • Student must be in good academic standing, meaning not on academic probation or in an academic remediation program as defined by the private high school they are attending.

Application Requirements:

  • Student must provide one letter of recommendation:
  • 1) A professional letter of recommendation from a community or nonprofit leader
    or
    2) An academic letter of recommendation from a teacher, counselor, principal, coach, or school official. Note: Letters of recommendation from immediate family members will not be accepted.
  • Student must submit a transcript showing cumulative GPA and good academic standing (incoming freshmen should include eighth grade transcripts).
  • Student must submit a 500 – 750 word essay addressing the current year’s prompt.

DR. ETHEL SIMON-MCWILLIAMS SCHOLARSHIP

Throughout her life, Dr. Ethel Simon-McWilliams made significant contributions in the field of education. In 2001, upon retiring from her position as Executive Director for the Northwest Regional Laboratory in Portland, OR, a friend of Dr. Ethel Simon-McWilliams established a scholarship fund in her name to support African-American students in their quests to pursue higher education. Since Dr. Ethel’s passing in 2017, her colleagues have remained dedicated to continue awarding scholarships to students who demonstrate a commitment to their community and a passion for helping those in need, just as Dr. Ethel Simon-McWilliams did throughout her life. 

The Dr. Ethel Simon-McWilliams Scholarship is a $3,000 per year scholarship that is renewable for up to four years.

TO QUALIFY, STUDENTS MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:

  • Student must identify as Black, African-American, or of African descent.

  • Student must be a graduating high school senior in the Portland metro area, entering their first full-time year of post-high school education.

  • Student should have a 2.5 to 3.0 cumulative GPA, on a 4.0 GPA scale. Students with GPAs outside of the specified scale are more than welcome and encouraged to apply, however, priority is given to students within the 2.5 to 3.0 GPA range.

INSPIRING HOPE SCHOLARSHIP

$500 ONE-TIME, NON-RENEWABLE

The Inspiring Hope Scholarship is awarded thanks to community members in the public. Each scholarship is donated directly to BUF for a scholarship from a supporting member of our community.

TO QUALIFY, STUDENTS MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:

  • Student MUST identify as African-American, African Diaspora, Black, or Afro Descent.
  • Student CAN BE either a newly admitted college student, or a student entering their sophomore, junior, or senior year in college.
  • College students are eligible to apply by invitation only. For more information contact the Black United Fund of Oregon directly at info@bufor.org
  • Student SHOULD have a GPA of 2.0 to 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale). This is the same for both high school and college students.
  • Note: Students with higher or lower GPAs are welcome and encouraged to apply, but priority is given to students with GPAs in the 2.0 to 3.0 rang

THE DANIEL SMITH SPECIAL EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP

Daniel Smith was a young courageous African American Special Education teacher and truth-teller. He was dedicated to addressing the inequities of an educational system built on the constructs of colonialism and whiteness. He was a voice for all children, particularly BIPOC students labeled (and often mislabeled) as learning disabled, ADHD, or ADD. He worked to ensure that all children knew they mattered and that they could achieve whatever they set their minds to do. He was raised in the historic African American community of north and northeast Portland and reaped the benefit of wisdom from his family and beloved community members. He was a devout Christian and expressed his faith serving his community and the larger Portland area through his work as an environmentalist, working in the mayor’s office, followed by international trips to Ecuador, where he studied the Amazon rainforest and the culture of its people. He traveled to Africa and visited Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda, among other countries. He lived with the Maasai tribe, who brought him to visit the surviving members of the Black Panther Party, who fueled his desire to invest his efforts in improving the educational opportunities for youth of color.

$1000.00 Unrestricted Funds for Special Education (SPED) Teachers

To pay tribute to Daniel Smith, the Black United Fund of Oregon awards -renewable scholarships to students to pursue higher education at an accredited college or university within the State of Oregon.

TO QUALIFY, STUDENTS MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:

  • Student MUST identify as African American, African Diaspora, Black, or Afro Descent.
  • Students Must be an Oregon resident, pursuing education in Oregon.
  • Student Must be committed to serving BIPOC students, families and communities.
  • Students CAN BE either a newly admitted college student, Teacher’s Aid, or a student entering their sophomore, junior, or senior year in college seeking to gain an endorsement in Special Education. Students entering a master’s or doctorate program in Special Education are also eligible.
  • Students with higher or lower GPAs are welcome and encouraged to apply, but priority is given to students with GPAs in the 2.0 to 4.0 range.
    One Page Essay about the student’s commitment to special education is required (using one or more of the three prompts).

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