WASHINGTON - (Business Wire) The Ron Brown Scholar Program, the nation
’s leading scholarship program for African American youth, today announced that Alexandria resident William A. Tarpeh of the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology and Washington resident Osha Kondori of Rappahannock County High School have been selected as 2008 Ron Brown Scholars. Chosen from more than 5,600 high school students, Tarpeh and Kondori are two of only 20 African American students from across the country awarded this honor.
An Eagle Scout, Tarpeh exhibits a profound commitment to his community and dedication to strengthening his leadership skills. The senior class president, he also participates in the Black Student Union, serves as a coordinator for Big Sibs, and tutors regularly. He is an AP Scholar, a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish Honor Society, and is a Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Young Scholar.
Kondori’s achievements include her strong academic record and her creative talents, which include dance and the piano. Despite her numerous commitments, she will graduate at the top of her class. She generously dedicates her free time to many extra curricular activities including the International Club, of which she is a founding member. She also works at a part-time job 24-30 hours per week. As a Ron Brown Scholar, Kondori hopes to get deeply involved in organizing and fundraising for grassroots organizations which bring teenagers together around the world.
“I am continually impressed by the thousands of students who apply to become Ron Brown Scholars,” said Michael Mallory, executive director of the Ron Brown Scholar Program. “William and Osha both desire to become effective leaders and use their knowledge and passion outside the classroom. They are part of a tremendous group of gifted young people who all bring their unique backgrounds and personal experiences to benefit the Ron Brown Scholar Program and their communities as a whole.”
Founded in 1996 and named in honor of the first African American Secretary of Commerce, the Ron Brown Scholar Program provides students with the financial resources to attend some of the finest colleges and universities in the country, in addition to promoting outstanding service opportunities for the next generation of promising African American leaders.
Ron Brown Scholars are selected on the basis of demonstrated academic excellence, leadership potential, social commitment and financial need. Some key highlights of the program include:
- More than half of Ron Brown Scholars attend Ivy League universities;
- Two Ron Brown Scholars were elected to be the First Marshals of their Harvard University graduating classes, considered the highest honor bestowed upon an undergraduate;
- One Ron Brown Scholar has been selected as a Truman Scholar and two Ron Brown Scholars have been selected as finalists for the Rhodes Scholarship;
- Ron Brown Scholars dedicate themselves to enriching lives in their local communities and worldwide. For example, nine Ron Brown Scholars have conducted AIDS research and community service with the Institute of Human Virology;
- With a 100% graduation rate, Ron Brown Scholars go on to succeed in a variety of leadership positions. From finance executives and top lawyers, to award-winning playwrights and Supreme Court Justice clerks, they have published books and documentaries, appeared as expert guests on radio and television, and been invited as speakers to numerous international conferences.
Applicants must proceed through a highly competitive selection process against thousands of other qualified candidates, culminating in an invitation to spend a weekend in Washington, D.C. for the final round of interviews. Up to twenty winners are chosen at the conclusion of this weekend where they are formally introduced as lifelong members of the Ron Brown Scholar Program family.
Tarpeh and Kondori are both the first students from their respective hometowns to be admitted to the Ron Brown Scholar Program since its inception in 1996. For biographical information William Tarpeh, Osha Kondori and all 20 Scholars, or for more information about the Ron Brown Scholar Program, visit www.ronbrown.org.
About the Ron Brown Scholar Program
Named for the late Secretary of Commerce and inspired by his dedication to public service, the Ron Brown Scholar Program was established in 1996 to provide academic scholarships, service opportunities and leadership experiences for young African Americans of outstanding promise. The Program seeks to accelerate their progress into the mainstream of leadership positions in business, education, government and a wide spectrum of professions, while instilling a dedication to leadership and service.
For Ron Brown Scholar Program
Marc Destito, 202-777-3528
mdestito@clsdc.com
