Jireh Brown, an international student, senior music major and Kappa Kappa Psi fraternity member, has attended Langston University since the Spring semester of 2019 as the first Bahamian student. Since then, his lowest grade point average was a 3.4 with his highest being a 4.0. He is also a drum major for the marching pride band.
Although he was able to obtain a substantial band scholarship, he realized he would still have a balance that would have to be taken care of. Some students pay their balance by applying for academic scholarships, so Brown looked into that option.
He said, “I have been trying since I have arrived here, still no results. I have yet to receive any academic scholarships. No matter how many 4.0 or 3.0 G.P. A’s I have made, no matter how many organizations I am apart of or good standings I hold with the university, there has yet to be something put in place for international students as far as academics.”
He said an academic scholarship would really help him and his international peers by, “helping us limit the strain of paying an extra few thousands of dollars that would have to be paid out of pocket at the end of each semester.”
He recalled Langston University to be,” a great place to come, but it is just not as accommodating as it should be for international students, and I wish it were different.”
The largest organization on Langston’s campus is the marching pride band. Of some 200 members, 50 are Bahamian international students, some of whom are section leaders.
Despite being involved with organizations and jobs aside from the band, many of these students manage to maintain grade point averages in competition with scholarship recipients. Even though these students are representing the school at a high level, no strides have been made to address the situation.
Mrs. Doristina Moncriffe is the international student advisor. According to her “scholarships for international students are generally hard to find. Currently the scholarships our students are getting (available to international students) are for those students in band. One of the scholarships does have an academic component to it in reference to keeping a certain grade point average. Some of the Stem fields such as biology, chemistry, math and technology have opportunities for grant funding. If the student is maintaining a certain GPA and is exceptional in certain courses, they can be paid as a tutor or can receive a stipend for working on different grant projects with teachers.”
The institutional foundation that controls the grants for the university is mainly located on the OKC campus. She says she has contacted the department before to find out if there are funds that international students can apply for, but has only been successful with one student.
In general, most academic scholarships require the student to be of American citizenship. Moncriffe said, “I have tried to reach out to the foundation or do research, as well as encourage students to apply for scholarships offered by the alumni association but have yet to be successful with finding any available for international students.”
In closing, Brown is currently working shifts at the HEF plant with the time he has available in efforts to help reduce his balance.
By Gerard Lewis
Gerard Lewis is a sophomore broadcast journalism major
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