After taking a year off from LMU due to financial hardship, Shakeel Joyce ’21 received some life-changing news. He had just been awarded an African American Alumni Association scholarship for the 2019-20 academic year.
“This scholarship has enabled me to continue my education and be able to graduate and walk the stage,” said Joyce. “It also made a difference in my life by knowing that other people, presumably strangers, believe and invest in me to continue my educational journey.”
For many students, financial aid and scholarships are the deciding factor in choosing which college to attend. It’s not unusual for students to be faced with the difficult decision to forgo their first-choice university due to a lack of financial aid and the overwhelming burden of debt after graduation.