Black Friday now takes a different spin for some families with college-bound students in Detroit. Instead of going shopping and spending money, this year nearly 400 families are expected to make their way to the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History for the 6th Annual “Black Friday Scholarship Bootcamp” to learn how to lead the competition in winning and shopping for scholarships, managing money, leveraging credit, improving SAT/ACT scores and completing FAFSA.
The Black Friday Scholarship Bootcamp was first launched by author and parent Gwen Thomas in 2013 to increase awareness of the perils of college debt, global competitiveness, and college readiness for students from all diasporas. Thomas wrote, “The Parents Smart Guide to Sending Your Kids to College without Going Broke” in 2012 to codify the principles that the Black Friday Scholarship Bootcamp now teaches. “We are providing resources for students and parents to utilize and leverage opportunities that can lead to scholarships, internships, fellowships, and relevant and sustainable careers. Essentially, we are attempting to partner with corporations, community groups, and families to produce the next generation of competitive talent that will make a significant contribution to global corporations and society. We want to keep families in the Black and not in the read when it comes to college planning.” Thomas states.
Michigan ranks #11 of 50 in the highest amount of student debt by state. This data, coupled with a default rate of 13%, means bad news for Michigan families. There is help on the horizon for some students next year. More colleges across the county, like Wayne State University, are offering free tuition to Detroit residents. However, students must apply for micro-scholarships to cover tuition cost for all income levels. Wayne State students must also pay for books and other related college expenses.
This year, The Black Friday Scholarship Bootcamp and Conference will kick off with a College Education Table Talk to discuss and measure whether colleges are failing or meeting the needs of today’s workplace. The invited colleges include Oakland University, Eastern Michigan, Meharry Medical College, Howard University, University of Michigan, Morehouse College, Central Michigan, Wayne State University and Wayne County Community College.
This year the conference theme focus is “AIM,” Anesthesia, Innovation, and Manufacturing. A select group of professionals from Michigan, Boston, and Washington, DC, will speak to students about a vast amount of STEM careers.
Other sessions include career simulations, ACT/SAT, FAFSA credit, budgeting sessions, and study abroad.
The conference culminates with a lucky student winning an all-expense-paid trip to an HBCU trip next spring. Fresh Perspectives also welcomes back African Impact for a second year, whose international virtual presentation will cover the Fresh Perspectives 2020 International STEM Exploration program.
The goal of Fresh Perspectives organization is to help families reduce the college debt crisis. We teach families to realize that there are alternative ways to pay for college, like with scholarships, whether to families have zero income or a six-figure income.
Fresh Perspectives Seminars co-located in Washington DC, and Detroit produces the annual “Black Friday Scholarship Bootcamp, Pursuing the Dream Scholarship Bootcamp” and other related seminars across the globe. The organization publishes books, holds college coaching sessions, and has helped students win over 12 million dollars in direct scholarships and travel abroad to nearly 100 countries. Thomas has worked with students in Vietnam, Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico, South Africa, and Honduras. The Black Friday Scholarship Bootcamp & Conference is free of charge and held at The Charles Wright Museum at 315 E. Warren, MI, in Detroit. Parents and students should register at www.freshpersepctivesseminars.org.
For more information, contact Fresh Perspectives at (609) 474-4877.
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