A year after George Floyd's murder, SEMO awards a new scholarship

Tuesday marked one year since George Floyd died on a Minnesota street, sparking protests all over the nation and triggering continuing conversations about race and policing.

Southeast Missouri State University's Advancement office said Tuesday the inaugural Advocacy, Equity and Justice (AEJ) scholarship is being awarded to incoming freshman Joshua Nelson, currently of St. Charles (Missouri) West High School.

The award, opened 11 days after Floyd's May 25, 2020 death, was originally called the George Floyd Scholarship.

History

On June 5, Southeast announced it opened the privately funded scholarship with Southeast president Carlos Vargas and his wife, Pam, as the first donors.

Vargas said at the time he was inspired by the example of Scott Hagan, president of North Central University in Minneapolis.

Hagan had challenged other schools to establish a scholarship in Floyd's name.

Less than three weeks later, Vargas informed Southeast's Board of Regents the award had been renamed and given its current moniker.

The change, said university officials, allows Southeast also to note other untimely and violent deaths in addition to Floyd's: Breonna Taylor of Louisville, Kentucky, Ahmaud Arbery of Brunswick, Georgia, and Michael Brown of Ferguson, Missouri.

"The leadership of (Southeast) recognized there is still critical work to be done to address systemic issues and disparities in access and opportunity in our communities (and) this scholarship reaffirms that Southeast remains deeply committed to providing a learning environment that promotes inclusion, equity, civility and a better way forward for every student," according to a statement on the university's website.

Southeast officials said 38 donors have given a total of $10,393.46 thus far to the AEJ scholarship.

Vargas said last summer $10.000 was the minimum amount necessary to start an endowed scholarship through the Southeast Missouri University Foundation.

Particulars

Nelson, who serves as president of the Minority Achievement Committee at St. Charles West, will receive the first Advocacy, Equity and Justice award for the upcoming 2021-2022 academic year.

Nelson, the school said, is also one of five winners of the university's President's Scholarship -- a renewable award that has a potential total value of $43,000 over the course of four years.

A member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the National Honor Society, the National Society of Black Engineers and the Black Student Union, Nelson told Southeast he hopes to pursue a career in optometry.

Reporter Jeff Long is a part-time faculty member at Southeast Missouri State University.