2021 City of Boston Scholarship Fund awardees announced

This fall, Mayor Kim Janey and the City of Boston Scholarship Committee awarded 19 Boston students up to $10,000 in scholarships to help fund their higher education. Nearly 100 students currently receive an annual scholarship of $2,500 through the fund for the duration of their undergraduate education. In total, the fund will distribute nearly $240,000 in scholarships this year, making college more accessible for Boston residents. 

“I’m thrilled to award these deserving students with the financial tools for success,” said Mayor Kim Janey. “Education is key to a bright, equitable future for Boston’s residents and the City as a whole, and no one should be barred from pursuing higher education because of cost. I know this year’s recipients will represent Boston in a positive light for years to come.”

The City of Boston Scholarship Fund was established in 1994 to provide assistance to residents who plan to pursue a two- or four-year undergraduate program in Massachusetts. Applicants must be residents of Boston and must have graduated from high school by the time the students are selected for the scholarship program in June. 

"The City of Boston Scholarship will help me continue the pursuit of my nursing degree in a better financial position than I started and envisioned,” said Temitope Akitikori, a student from Dorchester who is attending Laboure College. “To say winning this scholarship ushers in a fresh breath of financial ease is an understatement. Thank you, City of Boston! I hope to make you proud by making it through nursing school and joining the team of our superheroes saving lives unreservedly!" 

Among the 19 City of Boston Scholars this year, 12 are high school seniors, six are current college students and one is an adult learner returning to school to finish his degree. A profile of the new 2021 City of Boston Scholars is included below: 

• They represent eight neighborhoods across the City; 
• They are attending 12 different colleges and universities across the Commonwealth;
• On average, they have a financial need gap of $5,210 per year, as determined by the city’s partners at uAspire;
• 100% identified as people of color; (68% identified as Black/African-American, 32% as Latino/a, 16% as Asian/Pacific Islander)
• 26% were born outside the United States;
• 26% are the first in their family to attend college;
• 100% of seniors attended Boston Public Schools;
• 47% will be attending public colleges and universities.

The City of Boston Scholarship Committee has awarded over 1,000 students scholarships since 1995. This year, the Scholarship Fund celebrated the nineteenth year of an endowed scholarship donated by the Rosen Family in memory of Jeffrey Dunipace Rosen. The Fund celebrated the sixth year of the Community Development Scholarship, established in remembrance of Mayor Thomas M. Menino, and a Community Spirit Scholarship in memory of former public servant and City of Boston Scholarship awardee, Dawn Jaffier.

Funds for the scholarships are made possible from contributions made by residents and corporations. This year’s scholarships were supported by generous donations from Arbella Insurance Foundation, Jonathan and Margot Davis, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Herb Chambers Foundation, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Lewis Family Foundation, Santander, and Rapid7 as part of their ongoing commitment to Boston’s students. 

Residents who fit the criteria are encouraged to participate in the next application process, which will begin in early 2022. For more information on the City of Boston Scholarship, visit Boston.gov/scholarship or send an email to cobscholarship@boston.gov. Additional resources for residents pursuing higher education can be found on the City’s Higher Education Resource page.