Jameela Jamil x I Weigh Scholarship

$15,000
3 winners, $5,000 each
Awarded
Application Deadline
Aug 17, 2022
Winners Announced
Sep 28, 2022
Education Level
Any
Recent Bold.org scholarship winners

You have a story that deserves to be told and a voice that needs to be heard. We want to hear you, and we want to help you be heard by the world!

I Weigh is all about radical inclusivity and allyship, creating a community where no one feels alone. Our mission is to amplify, advocate, and pass the mic, while inspiring everyone around us to continue learning and growing as individuals, which in turn will result in growth collectively as a society.

As part of our mission to amplify new voices, we’re so excited to launch a scholarship, and at least three students will be awarded $5,000 each for their education!

To apply, share your story with us below, and if you feel inspired, add a link to an original art piece, song, vlog, or any piece of original content that shares what makes you, you!

Selection Criteria:
Passion, Impact, Ambition
Published June 28, 2021
$15,000
3 winners, $5,000 each
Awarded
Application Deadline
Aug 17, 2022
Winners Announced
Sep 28, 2022
Education Level
Any
Recent Bold.org scholarship winners
Essay Topic

Allyship is a complex and lifelong journey. Tell us a story of a time recently you showed up for a community or individual, and how it impacted you.

400–600 words

Winning Applications

Nyell Lopez
New York UniversityNew York, NY
Hanna DePoy
Cornerstone UniversityBremen, IN
Breaking news: Big sister defends little sister and accidently discovers her passion. Inspiration often comes from witnessing an act of kindness. My inspiration grew from witnessing an act of unkindness when I overheard two students gossiping about my little sister. "Did you see Cassie's stupid-looking hearing aids? She is just using them for attention. They make her look like a grandma." I was stunned by these hurtful remarks. Cassie was in the third grade and had just received her first pair of hearing aids. Those students had no idea of Cassie's daily challenges. I didn't tell my sister about this; instead, I went to my favorite teacher, relayed the incident, and asked if I could start a club that might help build a bridge of understanding - something fun like an American Sign Language Club. The teacher replied that it was a good idea, but she wasn't aware that I knew sign language. I said, "I don't, but I can learn." That was six years ago, and I have been studying American Sign Language ever since. Unfortunately, our school is small and does not offer ASL. I had to research it online and began studying at home. In 2019, I founded our high school's first American Sign Language Club, and the membership continues to grow. Six years ago, I came to my sister's defense, and since that time, I have become very interested in deaf studies. I became an advocate for other hard-of-hearing students in our school, and I switched my career plans from veterinary medicine to audiology. "What? You want to be an audiologist? But you can hardly even hear." Well, I have heard that multiple times. Yes, I am hard-of-hearing, and yes, I want to be an audiologist. Both my sister and I are hearing-impaired, and we have an amazing doctor. I am impressed by our audiologist's knowledge and compassion. She has inspired me to follow in her footsteps. As a Dr. of Audiology, I can help my patients with the technical aspects of hearing enhancement. But as one who lives with these life-altering changes, perhaps my experiences can lend extra insight, and I can guide my patients toward appropriate coping skills. Then my "would-be" disability will become my strength. I will be studying counseling to help with that aspect of my mission. Student advocacy - I became an advocate for other hearing-impaired students in our school. I tried to increase the teachers' awareness of our challenges, and I offered recommendations to enhance our learning experience. Some of my suggestions were more involved, and others were quite simple such as choosing videos with the closed captioning feature and remembering to turn it on – a detail that is easily overlooked. In Oct 2020, I stepped way outside my comfort zone and competed in our local Distinguished Young Women's pageant. I used my ASL skills to perform our national anthem for my talent portion. Following that, our principal asked me to sign the national anthem before various sporting events. I was honored, and, of course, I agreed. I didn't sign before every event, but I performed so many times that my nickname became "That Sign Girl." I am always motivated to promote awareness and inclusion for the deaf community, and in this case, the Star-Spangled Banner was the perfect vehicle. I have included a link to a Facebook post where I am performing at the DYW pageant. I was not singing, only signing. It's only cell phone quality, but I think the sentiment comes through. Thank you for considering my application.
Anushka Scudder
Northeastern UniversityNew York, NY

FAQ

When is the scholarship application deadline?

The application deadline is Aug 17, 2022. Winners will be announced on Sep 28, 2022.

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