The UC Berkeley African American Initiative has offered the first set of scholarships to Black students for the fall 2018 semester.
The initiative is a “a comprehensive effort to address the underrepresentation of African American students, faculty, and staff,” according to the UC Berkeley Division of Equity & Inclusion’s website. While 40 students were interviewed, only 28 were ultimately granted the scholarship, which was administered by the Cal Alumni Association.
“In-person and virtual interviews were held at the Alumni House over three days in mid-April,” said campus spokesperson Janet Gilmore in an email. “The Black Alumni Club played a significant role in recruiting volunteer interviewers. For the first year of scholarship awards, financial need was the criteria.”
Each student will be granted $8,000 annually, with the maximum amount being $40,000 over the course of 5 years.