Northeastern’s New Oakland Opportunity Scholarships Will Support First-Year Students

Northeastern is elevating its commitment to ensuring that talented, motivated students in its communities can access a quality education, regardless of financial need. Beginning this fall, the university will award up to 10 full tuition, room and board Oakland Opportunity Scholarships annually to seniors graduating from an Oakland Unified School District high school and Pell Grant-eligible residents of Oakland, California.

Northeastern has a campus in Oakland—one of 13 in the university’s global network of campuses.

Northeastern’s Oakland Opportunity Scholarships are available to first-year students who have been admitted to the university’s undergraduate day program.

“We are thrilled to offer this scholarship to the many deserving students in the city of Oakland and the Oakland Unified School District,” says Ebony Clinton Brown, Northeastern’s dean of undergraduate admissions.

John Sasaki, director of communications for the Oakland Unified School District, says the scholarships are further proof of Northeastern’s investment in the city and its high school students.

“We are thrilled that Northeastern is investing in our students, and we look forward to expanding our work with Oakland’s first global ‘R1’ research university to support the next generation of local and global leaders. It’s a remarkable partnership that will support Oakland’s young people for years to come.”

Each Oakland Unified School District high school may nominate up to two candidates for the scholarships. Additional candidates may also be identified through Northeastern’s general application evaluation process.

Applicants must have extensive engagement in their local school communities and a commitment to service in the city of Oakland.

In addition to the Oakland Opportunity Scholarships, Northeastern is also waiving the application fee for all applicants currently attending Oakland Unified School District high schools.

Each year, Northeastern contributes $13.5 million to provide 150 Boston residents with full scholarships, while also hosting programs that help prepare Boston Public Schools students and their families for college.

“The introduction of this opportunity in Boston has led to many outcomes for the residents and students in that community,” Clinton Brown says. “We know that this scholarship opportunity will be just as impactful for the Oakland community.

“Northeastern’s commitment to expanding access, specifically for high-achieving and lower-income students, will be deepened through our partnership with Oakland and the Northeastern University Oakland Opportunity Scholarship.”

For more information, contact [email protected].

In addition to Oakland, Northeastern’s network of campuses in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. include Boston, London, Toronto, Vancouver, Seattle, Charlotte, Miami, and Silicon Valley, as well as Arlington, Virginia; Portland, Maine; and Nahant and Burlington, Massachusetts.

Northeastern provides students with research and experiential learning opportunities, including its signature co-op program with a global network of more than 3,500 employers, in 146 countries and on every continent.

“We are thrilled to offer this scholarship to the many deserving students in the city of Oakland and the Oakland Unified School District.”

—Ebony Clinton Brown, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions

This article was originally written by David Nordman
and published by Northeastern Global News.