In light of COVID-19, NBEF modified its programming from presenting scholarships at an in-person (“brick and mortar”) gala to a live stream virtual awards ceremony that was broadcast on July 30, 2020. During this special virtual event, NBEF awarded 46 scholarships to New Brunswick High School and New Brunswick Health Sciences Technology High School graduates (totaling $46,100.00) and featured inspiring testimonies and a keynote address from former NBEF scholarship recipients who are accomplished members of our College & Young Professional Network.
The aim of the video (posted on YouTube with hundreds of viewers to date) was to create a platform for NBEF to publicly congratulate the scholarship recipients and welcome them into the NBEF Family (especially during these uncharted times that precluded them from having an in-person high school graduation ceremony; or even a typical NBEF Awards Gala event). The ceremony’s keynote speaker, Juan Romero, a MD/PhD candidate at Baylor University (Texas) provided the attendees with a very compelling presentation on the pandemic, its impact on the African American community as well as linking it to the overall health inequities of communities of color. The feedback from the scholarship recipients, their families, school district officials, and many others … has been tremendous!!!
Since 2007, with the generosity and support of numerous contributors, NBEF has awarded a total of $606,700.00 in college scholarships to New Brunswick youth.
