Devary White
San Francisco State University
"Throughout my life, I have had to conquer many tough challenges. For the first six years of my life, my mother and I were homeless. Every day, when I was young, she would have to take me to school and then pick me up on the bus. I was born and raised in the Bayview/Hunter's Point district of San Francisco. The crime rate and illiteracy in my community are substantial. Receiving this scholarship will not only help me get through college, but it will also help the future of my community."
About Meritus
Meritus College Fund was founded in 1996 to provide college scholarships and individual attention to low-income students from San Francisco public high schools. These students have demonstrated financial need and have often overcome substantial obstacles to reach their educational goals of attending a four-year college or university. Over 90% of Meritus scholars are the first in their families to go to college.
Four-year scholarships
Meritus scholarships extend over four years while most other scholarships are for one year only. A Meritus scholarship is disbursed in semi-annual installments provided the student continues to attend college full-time, maintains a 2.25 grade point average, and writes his or her donor a letter each semester.
Awards to students with B to B+ grade point averages
Typically, scholarships only go to students with GPA's of 3.8 - 4.0. Meritus scholarships are awarded to the often overlooked student population with GPAs from 3.0-3.7.
Connections Program
The Connections Program provides individual attention to each student by caring adults through counseling, mentoring, and career and leadership development. These connections to the members of the community keep students focused on school, build a support network, and encourage student retention in college.
Scholar-donor engagement
Students write their donors twice a year and participate in donor-sponsored events. Many of these relationships have resulted in networking and employment opportunities for the students. In turn, donors see the immediate impact their donation and their personal support can make in a young person's life.
100% of donations go to Scholars
One hundred percent of scholarship donations go directly to the scholars. Meritus' program and operational costs are supported through the generosity of foundations and individuals.
Achievers Program
The Achievers Program is a Meritus pilot project that focuses on the educational needs of African American male students in the San Francisco Unified School District, the group most likely to drop out of school. The program offers individual attention to African American high school boys to encourage them to stay in school and become academically eligible for college. Support begins with ninth graders and continues through their senior year. Students who graduate with GPAs of 2.5 – 3.0 may apply for a Meritus College Fund Achiever scholarship. In addition to financial support, these students benefit from regular contact with mentors and role models.