Marchet Harts Communication Scholarship Award for Women of Color

This scholarship is established by WIU 2003 Communication Alumna Minda Harts in honor of her mother, Marchet Harts who graduated from the Western Illinois University Quad Cities campus in 2004. Minda decided to “create this scholarship to help future women students of color the ability to thrive with financial assistance to help ease the burden of tuition and books. As a woman of color it is important to me for students to see there are alumni rooting for their success. It was important to put this scholarship in my mother’s name as a way to show gratitude for her rooting me on at each stage of my career. I hope the recipients of this scholarship will pay it forward to future students of color in the Communication department.”

Minda holds a Bachelor’s in Communication from Western Illinois University. She has more than a decade of fundraising and sales experience and has been part of successful fundraising campaigns at The University of Texas at Austin, UCLA, and Duke. Minda is the founder of The Memo LLC, a career development company for women of color. In 2016, she was nominated as a Change Maker at The White House State of Women Summit. Minda is a member of the New York Junior League and volunteers at women’s shelters across NYC; helping women enhance their resumes and interviewing skills. Additionally, she serves as a mentor at General Assembly in New York City. Minda conducts workshops and keynotes at corporations like Time Inc., The Campaign For Black Male Achievement, and The New York Public Library. She has been featured in Forbes Magazine, Essence Magazine, The Guardian, and The Huffington Post.

CRITERIA:

• Woman of color
• Incoming Freshman or Transferring Junior
• Student should pursue a Communication major in any related discipline with the Department of Communication, and demonstrate a desire to graduate and contribute to said career field.
• Applicant should write a one to two-page essay on their career aspirations. The essay should include how the student plans to give back to their alma mater after graduation.

To be considered, applicants must also agree to participate in a mentorship opportunity with Minda Harts, which will include at least one phone call and one video call per semester.