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Scholarships
In Honor of Elmer Brown
The BECA application is available online as of January 15, 2026. You must submit all supporting documentation by midnight March 6, 2026.
Unified Committee for Afro-American (UCAC) basic guidelines for the three
(academic, voc/tech/trade, teacher education) 2026 non-renewable scholarships.
Applicant criteria for the Academic, Voc Tech, and Teacher Education Scholarships:
1) Black/African American
2) St. Mary’s County Resident
3) St. Mary’s County public/private high school 2025 graduate
#A23 - In addition for the $1000 Academic Scholarship
4) Minimum 2.5 GPA
5) Acceptance to an accredited college or university
#A24 - In addition for the $1000 Voc-Tech-Trade Scholarship
4) Minimum 2.0 GPA
5) Acceptance to an accredited voc/tech/trade school or 2 year career program. Your
acceptance letter must show the voc-tech-trade certificate or degree you are seeking
#A25 - In addition for the $2000 Teacher Education Scholarship
4) Minimum 2.5 GPA
5) Acceptance to an accredited college or university. Your acceptance letter must show
that you are pursuing a certificate or degree in teacher education.
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“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”
~~Malcolm X
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2025 Awards
​Jalece Shade is the $1000 Voc/Tech Scholarship winner and is a 2025 Great Mills High School graduate. She will be attending the College of Southern Maryland in the Fall of 2025 to study radiography.
Takoda Jones is the $1000 Academic Scholarship winner and is a 2025 Chopticon High School graduate. He will be attending the College of Southern Maryland in the Fall of 2025 studying biochemical engineering.
2024 Awards
Jocelyn Lyons, with UCAC president Nathaniel Lawrence, is a 2024 UCAC $1,000 Scholarship winner. She is a 2024 Great Mills High School graduate and will be attending Temple University and studying Management Information Systems.
Amina Guechati, with UCAC president Nathaniel Lawrence, is a 2024 UCAC $1,000 Scholarship winner. She is a 2024 Chopticon High School graduate and will be attending the University of Maryland and studying to be a Pediatric Occupational Therapist.
2023 Awards
Jordan Grier receives award from UCAC President Nathaniel Lawrence. Jordan is the recipient of the 2023 UCAC scholarship in the amount of $1,000. She is a 2023 graduate of Great Mills High School and plans to attend North Carolina Central University. Her career choice is to become a psychologist specializing in behavioral therapy for adolescents.
Nnanna Iroanya receives award from UCAC President Nathaniel Lawrence. Nnanna is the recipient of the 2023 UCAC Scholarship in the amount of $500. He is a 2023 graduate of Great Mills High School and plans to attend Coppin State University. He will be majoring in Computer Science and hopes to one day own his own company.
2022 Awards
Sidney Roberson, a recipient of the 2022 UCAC $1,000 scholarship, is a graduate of Leonardtown High School who plans to attend North Carolina Central University to become a teacher.
Nakiyah Brooks, a recipient of the 2022 UCAC $500 scholarship, is a graduate of Great Mills High School who plans to attend North Carolina A&T to become a pediatric nurse.
2021 Award
George Rivers III, the recipient of the 2021 UCAC Scholarship in the amount of $1,000, is a 2021 Leonardtown High School graduate who plans to major in engineering at Virginia State University.
2020 Award
Jordan Beaton, the recipient of the 2020 UCAC Scholarship in the amount of $1,000, is a 2020 graduate of Ryken High School and plans to attend Morgan State University and major in civil engineering.