Signature Programs
"I Empower" Scholarship
The Greater Washington Urban League (GWUL) has guided individuals, families and regional government through systemic challenges over the past 80 years. In that time, GWUL has impacted over two million lives, using the approaches of social work, advocacy, law and other disciplines. As a staple in our community, GWUL has been working tirelessly for a just and more equitable society serving residents in Washington, DC, Montgomery County and Prince George’s County, MD.
GWUL manages and administers programs in: education, employment and training, housing and community development, health promotion, financial literacy, and emergency assistance. Our mission is to ensure everyone in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area is on the road to self sufficiency through a variety of innovative programs. In doing so, it’s essential to increase the economic empowerment of Black, Latino and other traditionally underserved populations to share equally in the responsibilities and rewards of full citizenship.
As an important and longstanding manifestation of its mission, together the Greater Washington Urban League (GWUL) and it’s young professionals’ auxiliary, Thursday Network (TN) is committed to awarding educational opportunities to high school seniors in regards to scholarships for college-bound students.
In conjunction with numerous concerned corporate sponsors, GWUL has facilitated the distribution of more than $2 million in scholarships to more than 300 young adults to financially support their freshman year at any accredited 4-year college or university in the United States. Recipients have gone on to a diverse and elite range of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, local institutions of higher education, Ivy League institutions and other colleges/universities, as well as the Job Corps or other special post-secondary education and trade.
The Greater Washington Urban League will award several scholarships to deserving high school scholars, ranging from $500 to $8000. All scholarship disbursements are to be used for tuition and will be delivered directly to the bursar’s/student accounts office of the student’s school for the fall term of their freshman year of college.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
In order to be eligible to receive a Greater Washington Urban League Scholarship, one must:
- Have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 based on a 4.0 scale
- Plan to attend a four-year college or university in the fall of 2023
- Demonstrate a commitment to community service
- Gross family income must be less than $45,000
- Be a minority of African, Hispanic, and/or Latino descent
- Be a U.S. Citizen
- Be a permanent resident and/or attend high school in the District of Columbia, Montgomery County (MD), or Prince George’s County (MD), and
Thursday Network’s Annual Young Blacks Give Back (YBGB) Month
Young Blacks Give Back Month, also known as YBGB Month, is Thursday Network’s most significant annual community service initiative. Held during the month of May, YBGB is recognized by a DC mayoral proclamation, as an outstanding and noteworthy achievement in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan community. During this time, Thursday Network members perform a series of four to six community service events to reinvigorate the organization’s resolve to serve and to reinforce the importance of giving back to causes and persons in need.
Past YBGB activities include career fairs for high school students, revitalization of DC public schools and parks, health fairs for the DC community, and financial literacy programs for young adults.
Thursday Network Empowerment Academy
Each year, Thursday Network hosts a mentoring program for DC area youth focused on personal development, college readiness, career exploration and healthy living. The Empowerment Academy supports schools and programs across the region by providing mentors to lead sessions and build positive relationships with mentees each session.