Declaring Race-Based Scholarships Illegal Threatens College Access for High School Seniors

As policies on race-based scholarships shift and college affordability hangs in balance, Jessica Johnson, a nationally recognized scholarship expert and Founding Executive Director of Scholarship Academy, is urging immediate action to safeguard opportunities for students - particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds. A Howard University alumna and recipient of over $200,000 in scholarships, Johnson is calling on policymakers, educators and families to address the growing challenges in securing financial aid.

"With sweeping changes in financial aid policies, the pathway to a debt-free degree is under threat." said Johnson. "We cannot afford to be silent as critical funding sources disappear for the students who need them most."

Financial Aid Uncertainty Intensifies Following Federal Decisions

Recent federal actions - most notably, guidance from the Trump administration declaring race-based scholarships illegal - have placed scholarships supporting minority students at risk. In response, some institutions, such as Duke University, have restructured programs rather than eliminating them outright. However, Johnson warns that these isolated efforts are not enough to counteract the broader erosion of critical financial aid resources.

Compounding the issues, the U.S. Department of Education has also decided to forgo funding for the second cycle of its FAFSA support strategy, a move that threatens to further complicate access to higher education. Last year, Scholarship Academy secured funding to help boost FAFSA completion rates and achieved a 74% success rate - assisting nearly 1,000 students from Fulton, Clayton, Cobb, and Marietta schools.

"The FAFSA is the first critical step in accessing free money for college," Johnson said. "Without adequate support and guidance, many students - particularly first-generation and low-income applicants - will be left behind."

Scholarship Academy: A Community-Driven Solution

At the heart of Atlanta, Scholarship Academy serves as a lifeline for families navigating the complexities of financial aid. Through its college access hub, the organization offers free, one-on-one support for families completing the FAFSA, applying for scholarships, and navigating college admissions.

"When policy changes happen rapidly, communities must rally together," Johnson emphasized. "We need to expand private scholarship options, foster stronger partnerships with universities, and provide families with the resources they need to make informed decisions about college affordability."

A Leading Voice in the Financial Aid Conversation

As a sought-after expert on college affordability and financial aid, Johnson is available for interviews and expert commentary. Her insights provide a critical perspective for media outlets covering the impact of shifting financial aid policies on students and families.

Topics Jessica is Available for Expert Commentary:

FAFSA
Department of Education
Pell Grants
Private Scholarships
Race Based Scholarships
1890 Agricultural Scholarship
HBCU Scholarships
DEI Scholarships
Financial Aid
Student Loans
College Admissions
Impact on the Shifts in Financial Aid on the Incoming Freshman Class and Current College Students

Learn more at https://scholarshipacademy.org/

Scholarship Academy
500 Bishop St NW B-2
Atlanta, GA 30318

Media Contact
Jessica Johnson
press@scholarshipacademy.org
4703551732
https://scholarshipacademy.org/

Jessica Johnson launched the Scholarship Academy (TSA) with a Scholarship Boot Camp course targeting low-income families in Washington DC and Atlanta in 2006. From 2006-2009, TSA assisted each family in creating a realistic 4-year college funding plan, with a focus on entering college and addressing potential barriers to successful matriculation. Our unique approach to private college funding soon garnered recognition from Echoing Green and the Ashoka Changemakers as well as features in Black Enterprise and the NAACP Crisis Magazine.

We shifted from supporting individual families in 2010, scaling our services to high schools and youth-serving organizations with the implementation of our 16-module curriculum. Using a series of counselor trainings, and most recently our Virtual Scholarship Center online course offerings, TSA continues to assist organizations in creating healthier financial aid cultures, where financial aid does not happen to low-income families randomly. Instead, they are supported in creating proactive financial aid plans with minimal debt.

TSA has impacted more than 15,000 families, primarily in Georgia, New York, Washington, DC, and Philadelphia, PA. Our partnerships have grown to include Atlanta Public Schools, the New York College Access for All Consortium, Clayton County Public Schools, Dekalb County Public schools, and the GEAR UP Georgia network.

This release was published on openPR.