New scholars program honors Oliver Hill Sr.
The University has named a new undergraduate scholars program in honor of Oliver W. Hill Sr., the Richmond attorney who served on the legal team that successfully argued against public school segregation before the Supreme Court in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954.
Beginning fall 2006, 15 students a year who have been awarded full-tuition scholarships as Richmond Scholars will be invited to become Oliver Hill Scholars. Candidates of all racial and ethnic backgrounds will be eligible to apply.
Oliver Hill Scholars will receive a one-time grant of $3,000 for a special scholarly experience as an undergraduate and an additional $1,000-a-year grant for participating in special programs exploring the ongoing effort of African-Americans to attain social justice and meet other challenges presented by American life.
A special ceremony Oct. 23 on campus honored Hill and celebrated his life as a role model for young people.
 |
Oliver Hill Sr.
|
"Oliver Hill's entire career has been devoted to the area of civil rights, in particular against segregation, with a focus on what we as humans share in common," said Joe Kent, associate provost. "The objectives of the program are academic success at a high level, appreciation of cultural heritage, work for social justice and celebration of diversity while seeking to understand commonalities in human experience."
The program also will provide Hill Scholars with mentors who are role models from the University and central Virginia communities. In addition, scholars will participate in special field trips to historical and culturally important sites in the region. Significant, but not exclusive, focus of the programming will be on African-American history and social issues.
Oliver Hill Scholars are an important part of the new Richmond Scholars program, which will provide 50 full-tuition scholarships annually to first-year students beginning fall 2006.
|
