Mursalata: Live, Learn, Teach, Repeat.
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    • Children of the Yam
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    • BHMS Why We Can't Wait Scholarships
    • 2018: Black Panther Movie Fundraiser
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​History
The Bragg-Harvard-MuhammadSmith (BHMS)– Why We Can’t Wait Fund Scholarship Fund was established in 2009 by Mursalata Muhammad, a GRCC faculty member, with support from Sabrina Sewell-Bragg, a public servant, and Wil Smith, a Kent County Deputy Sheriff. They started the scholarship in memory of the following family members, who contributed to public service by how they lived their lives or in their careers:
  • Chet Bragg, brother-in-law, veteran and law enforcement officer
  • Claude Harvard: grandfather, veteran, inventor and public servant
  • Mutasha Muhammad: mother and humanitarian
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WHO?...

The Bragg, Harvard, MuhamadSmith (BHMS) - Why We Can't Wait Scholarship Fund scholarships are awarded to individuals enrolled at Grand Rapids Community College, who plant to work in the following public service careers: education, healthcare, and law enforcement.


WHAT?...

The Bragg, Harvard, MuhamadSmith (BHMS) - Why We Can't Wait Scholarship Fund makes awards to individuals attending Grand Rapids Community College, who are intend to work in public service careers - such as -education, healthcare, and law enforcement.

There are two kinds of ANNUAL scholarships to students attending Grand Rapids Community College.
  • $750 (minimum) in scholarships that support students participation in campus-based cultural competency, equity and inclusion programs. Currently, these funds are managed by the GRCC Woodrick Center for Inclusion & Equity.
  • $3,000 (minimum) in Scholarships to students focused on working in the following public service careers -  education, healthcare, and law enforcement. The 2017 - 2018 academic year was the inaugural award year for this scholarship. Currently, these funds are awarded by a scholarship committee.

When?...

Bragg, Harvard, MuhamadSmith (BHMS) - Why We Can't Wait Scholarships are awarded annually.
  • 2016 - 2017 was the inaugural year for awarding the campus-based cultural competency, equity and inclusion scholarships
  • 2017 - 2018 was the inaugural year for awarding scholarships to individuals focused on working in the following public service careers - education, healthcare, law enforcement

Where & How?...

  • Contact the the GRCC Woodrick Center for Inclusion & Equity for information about scholarships that support participation in campus-based cultural competency, equity and inclusion programs.
  • Send an email to BHMScantwaitscholarship@gmail.com for information about the $3,000 Scholarships to students focused on working in the following public service careers -  education, healthcare, and law enforcement

Why?... Goals & Purpose

Short-Term Goals
  • Make scholarship awards that support student participation in campus-based programs that help them improve their cultural competency skills ($750 annually)
  • Make scholarship awards that support degree completion ($3000 annually)
  • Long-term goal: Provide one full-tuition GRCC police academy scholarship annually
Long-Term Goals
  • Provide at least one full-tuition GRCC police academy scholarship (approx. $7000 annually)
Purpose Statement
The Bragg, Harvard, Muhammad-Smith Why We Can’t Wait Scholarship seeks to positively impact public service in a variety of communities by supporting civic engagement, educational attainment, philanthropy in the seven following ways:
  • Encourage people to develop cultural competency skills that increase their understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion
  • Encourage people to be active citizens in the communities they serve through their work
  • Provide financial support to people pursuing degrees and public service careers in law enforcement/criminal justice, education, and healthcare
  • Encourage people to think creatively about how their area of study may result in a public service career
  • Support degree completion by establishing these funds as a renewable scholarship
  • Support educational ownership and financial planning by allowing recipients to decide how to disburse funds
  • Encourage scholarship recipients to support education scholarships in the future
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