About the Scholarship

“Ava Aimable was born and raised in Jamaica, NY. After seeing firsthand how mental health has been neglected in society, especially in POC communities, she took to action. Ava has volunteered with multiple organizations such as LuvMicheal which employs adults with autism and Kids 2, a summer getaway camp designed for adults with moderate to serious physical and mental disabilities in Upstate New York. In the future, Ava hopes to serve her community further by becoming a clinical psychologist. This fall Ava will be studying at Columbia University in the City of New York pursuing her love of psychology.”

"I would like to express my gratitude to the Kevin Shaw Jr. Foundation, not only for the financial support that they will provide me in my future studies but also for the inspiration that they have provided me with. Looking back at the life of Kevin Shaw Jr, it was clear that he was a young man who was charismatic, passionate, and determined when it came to his education. After reading his biography, I felt personally inspired to emulate the same values that Kevin Shaw Jr. applied to his own life. I was reminded of a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr “Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education”. I hope to take these values with me this fall, as I begin my studies at Cornell University, where I will be majoring in biological sciences. My future goal is to one day become a medical doctor. I am very honored and grateful for this recognition, and I would like to once again say thank you to the Kevin Shaw Jr. Foundation."

"The college that I will be attending is Morehouse College. I will be majoring in kinesiology in an effort to become an occupational therapist. I aspire to help those in my community by presenting them with opportunities that are not prevalent to them."

"College is one of the most expensive forms of continued education and I'm so glad that this scholarship will help make the transition a little easier and less stressful. I'm determined to live out the legacy of Kevin Shaw Jr. through my future work and projects. I will be attending Tufts University in the School of Engineering as a Computer Science major. I'm ecstatic to be one of the recipients of the Kevin Shaw Jr. Foundation scholarship and know it will help me achieve my aspirations of obtaining a bachelor of science and becoming an entrepreneur."

"I am truly honored to receive this scholarship on the behalf of the Kevin Shaw Jr. Foundation. I would also like to thank the panelist for recognizing my potential for helping me in my endeavors for higher education. I will be a college freshman attending the University at Albany in Fall of 2022. I will be majoring in human biology. When I graduate college I intend to go into medical school to then become a physician. More specifically, an otolaryngologist. I also wish to inspire other students like myself in the coming years to consider careers in the medical field. At an early age, I have always been inspired to see black men and women who look like me in the medical field, and I am more than happy that the Kevin Shaw Jr. Foundation will assist me in the next step closer to making my dreams into reality."

"The Kevin Shaw Jr. Foundation gave me so much more than financial support. Of course, college is expensive and my family is very grateful for every dollar that we were given, but the Kevin Shaw Jr Foundation made me realize something even better. While at our scholarship ceremony, I got to interact with several young men and women going through life changes that I was about to face. Hearing the testaments of students currently at schools such as MIT made me realize that one of the best forms of help could be fellow students who are struggling in the same classes as me. I realized that I would it never hurts to ask for help and that the Kevin Shaw Jr Foundation would always be there for me."

“Being a part of the foundation creates new affordable opportunities. Not only was I able to afford certain school necessities, like textbooks, I have became a member of a new family. The Kevin Shaw Jr. Foundation will forever be an extended family to me and I am forever grateful for all of their help and support.”

"Kevin Shaw Jr. allowed me to see that there are people to back me up along the way on my college journey. The financial support they have given me allowed me to support myself throughout my first year of college and allowed me to purchase my books and supplies needed to excel in my classes. The transition to college can be an extremely hard one, but the Kevin Shaw Jr Foundation made that process much easier."

"I am honored and grateful to have received this scholarship from the Kevin Shaw Jr. Foundation. I will be attending Queens College, majoring in General Music (violin performance). My main goal is to continue my passion for music and keep working hard. I want to join a professional orchestra, spreading music for everyone to enjoy and keep the art of classical music preserved."

"The Kevin Shaw Jr Foundation has helped ease my mind as I transitioned into college. Being a recipient of this scholarship allowed me to further pursue my career endeavors which is to become a rehabilitation veterinarian. It is nice to have the support and recognition of such an organization geared towards highlighting the success of pre-collegiate/collegiate individuals. This scholarship allowed me to enter college with confidence and an "I can achieve anything attitude" which I continue to carry to this day."

"I am now a sophomore at Emory University, double majoring in sociology and global health. After my very challenging, yet rewarding first year of college I was able to get a head start on work for the upcoming semester with the financial support from the Kevin Shaw Jr Foundation."

"I am deeply humbled to be selected as an award recipient for the Kevin Shaw Jr. scholarship. I have chosen to attend the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the Fall of 2021 where I will be pursuing my B-Arch degree to obtain my licensure as an architect. I aspire to be a part of an upcoming initiative of designing green buildings that help reduce our carbon footprint as well as progress energy efficiency. I aspire to be a mentor and role model to those who come behind me. There have been many who have helped and continue to help me on my journey. I, too, would like to inspire and motivate my peers to attain success and assist them on their journey in reaching their goals. It is also my goal to continue to honor the legacy of Mr. Kevin Shaw by working hard, being dedicated, and remembering to always persevere; even in the midst of adversity."

" I am proud to be a recipient of the Kevin Shaw Jr. Foundation Scholarship. I will be attending New York University this upcoming school year and plan to major in Neuroscience on a Pre-Medical track. I plan on going to medical school and focusing on pediatrics. Dedicated to the medical care of children. I love to paint, play the double bass, and dedicate my time to volunteering. Helping out wherever I can locally and globally. Growing up, I loved watching shows with medical examiners such as Dr.G and volunteering with the non-profit, Franklin Junior Foundation. which solidified my love for working in a hospital setting and in the pediatric department. Thank you for giving me this amazing opportunity to be a part of this program."

"I would like to take the time and opportunity to thank the Kevin Shaw Jr. Scholarship foundation for providing me with the financial support to be able to advance in my higher education. With the scholarship committee’s help, I was able to buy my books and other educational supplies. I am currently in my junior year of college thanks to the Kevin Shaw Jr. scholarship foundation providing me with the financial resources to be able to advance my education. I wish nothing but success to the Kevin Shaw Jr. foundation, you have changed my life. I hope that they can continue to provide financial support to higher education assisting students to help accomplish their goals like myself. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to be able to share my testimony and for that opportunity I say thank you to the Kevin Shaw Jr scholarship foundation."

"Entrance into college comes with a great deal of financial uncertainty. The Kevin Shaw Jr. Foundation’s contribution toward my college journey has enabled me to complete my initial year of college because of its financial generosity. I am well on my way to achieving my aspirations of becoming a medical doctor. Thank you Kevin Shaw Jr. Foundation!"

"My name is Kaila Prescott and I will be attending Emerson College as a Global Film Art major. I am excited to continue my academic career so I can further explore the depth of my creativity and build lasting roots within the film industry. I hope to create media that is not only entertaining but enlightening."

"I am honored to be a recipient of the Kevin Shaw Jr. Memorial Scholarship Award. This scholarship will help me contribute towards the cost of my education. Although I did not know Mr. Shaw personally, I have come to admire the person he was, the accomplishments he achieved, and the indelible mark that he made on the community. I feel like I could relate to Mr. Shaw as we both shared an interest in entrepreneurship and a love for the game of basketball. I am proud to say that this fall, I will be attending Baruch College in New York City where I will major in Entrepreneurship."