Post Date: 07/11/2018 1:30 PM

Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki tonight will award $30,000 in academic scholarships to sixteen high school seniors who live in Wilmington to assist them with the cost of their college education. A ceremony for the students and their families will be held this evening in Council Chambers, at 800 North French Street, and will include remarks by the Mayor and a Keynote Address from Senior Corporal Michael Coleman of the Wilmington Police Department.

Each student will receive an award in the amount of $1,875.00. To be eligible for a Mayor’s Scholarship award, each senior was required to be a Wilmington resident, have a 2.5 GPA or better, and demonstrate leadership and a commitment to community service. Awardees also wrote an essay and submitted references, among other requirements.

“As Mayor, there are few things that I enjoy more than supporting young people eager to further their education beyond high school,” said Mayor Purzycki. “The young men and women selected for academic scholarships this year make up a diverse cross-section of the best and brightest students in Wilmington. It will be an honor for me to be with these students and their families tonight celebrating their achievements.”

The Mayor also thanked members of his staff including Earl Cooper, Tiffany Christopher and Ashley Christopher, as well as JJ Francis, Outreach Coordinator for U.S. Senator Chris Coons, and City Auditor Terence Williams for serving on the Mayor’s 2018 Scholarship Selection Committee.

The 2018 class of awardees attended public, charter, private and parochial schools and included the gamut of intended fields of study, ranging from sciences to fashion merchandising, communications to music, and computer science to business management. Equally varied are their areas of leadership and service. Many are captains of sports teams and many more lead service and academic clubs.

Mayor Purzycki will congratulate the following students tonight for their achievements in education and their service to the community. Each is receiving a $1,875 scholarship. Listed here are the names of the students, the high schools they currently attend and the college they will attend.

Shelby A. Bailey-Smiley – The Tatnall School

Towson University

Hollan M. Brockenbrough – Mount Pleasant High School

University of Delaware

Alexis M. Cope – Mount Pleasant High School

University of Delaware

Davon Dillard-Lee Davis – Mount Pleasant High School

University of Delaware

Patrick S. Elliott – Conrad School of Science

University of Delaware

Hareena A. Houston – Wilmington Friends School

Connecticut College

John J. Klemas – Charter School of Wilmington

University of Delaware

Cooper T. Knox – A.I. DuPont High School

Kutztown University

Jacob P. Kuchma – Salesianum High School

University of Delaware

Jourdann U. Latney – Concord High School

North Carolina A&T State University

Brendan C. Leach – Salesianum High School

Saint Joseph’s University

Michael C. Nauman – Salesianum High School

University of Delaware

Thomas J. Rodriguez – A.I. DuPont High School

University of Delaware

Courtlyn E. Witte – A.I. DuPont High School

University of Delaware

Ny’Asia M. Yates – Howard High School of Technology

Winston-Salem State University

Alexis N. Young – Ursuline Academy

Emory University

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News and information from the Office of Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki

John Rago

Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Communications

Mobile: (302) 420-7928

Email: jrago@WilmingtonDE.gov

Paul Ford Jr.

Communications Specialist

Mobile: (302) 530-2171

Email: plford@WilmingtonDE.gov



Dan Sanchez

Digital & Social Media Manager

Mobile: (302) 605-0026

Email: dsanchez@WilmingtonDE.gov