Building Opportunities for Sistas to Shine
(B.O.S.S.) Scholarship
The Building Opportunities for Sistas to Shine Scholarship (B.O.S.S.) aims to make racial equality a reality by helping outstanding Black cis or transgender female students achieve their dreams to continue their education.
Each year, EverGreen Dreams® will provide two cis or transgender female students who have been accepted to and will attend a 2-year or 4-year college or university or a technology/vocational school with no less than $1,000 in financial support to aid them in achieving their dream of continuing their education.
EverGreen Dreams® Board of Directors is dedicated to the growth of the B.O.S.S. Scholarship. It has approved a plan for increasing the financial support provided to scholarship recipients over the next few years, with an end goal of being able to provide two $2,000 scholarships each year.
Congratulations to the 2026 B.O.S.S.
Scholarship Recipients!
As part of our commitment to helping young Black women achieve educational excellence, EverGreen Dreams® helps ease the financial burden for deserving high school graduates nationwide. For the 2025-2026 school year, EverGreen Dreams® was pleased to award two students with a $2,000 scholarship each:
Alirat Oladejo
INCOMING FRESHMAN – UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
Majoring in Statistics and Data Science
What are your plans for the summer?
This summer, I am working as an intern with my school district, where I am gaining experience in how a school district operates. I also plan to spend time with family and friends, prepare for my transition to UT Austin, and enjoy some well-deserved downtime before starting college.
What are you most excited about as you prepare to start college this fall?
I am most excited to meet new people, explore opportunities at UT Austin, and grow both academically and personally. I look forward to joining organizations, developing my skills in data science, and stepping outside my comfort zone through new experiences.
How do you plan to use your degree to create change or make an impact?
I plan to use my degree in Statistics and Data Science to make a change in the education technology field as a data scientist. I want to be a part of teams that create tools for learners of all types.
How do you intend to use the B.O.S.S. Scholarship to support you as you begin your college journey?
I intend to use the B.O.S.S. Scholarship to help cover on-campus housing expenses during my first year of college. This support will reduce financial stress and allow me to focus on my academics, campus involvement, and personal growth as I begin my journey at UT Austin.
Zara Musa
INCOMING FRESHMAN – HOWARD UNIVERSITY
Majoring in International Affairs and Economics (Pre-Law Track)
What are your plans for the summer?
This summer I am working my first-ever retail job! I also am trying to get back into some of the hobbies I lost as I got progressively busier over my high school career (the main one being reading). Finally, I am continuing to study and learn French.
What are you most excited about as you prepare to start college this fall?
I am super excited for the independence that college brings. I love to be challenged by new things, and not having my family by me 24/7 will be a challenge. I am also really looking forward to being at Howard University itself. I have never been in a space where all the students reminded me of myself, yet everyone is so different, multitalented, and multifaceted.
How do you plan to use your degree to create change or make an impact?
I want to use my degree to make an impact on countries in the global south, specifically in West Africa. Both the transatlantic slave trade and colonization have created such a huge negative impact. There’s so much potential in Africa, so I would like to help it flourish. Also, I hope to serve as a role model to young black girls and boys. I hope to one day have my own nonprofit(s) and scholarship funds. Ultimately, I also hope to get a law degree, and with that knowledge, I would like to mentor young people living in the DC area as well.
How do you intend to use the B.O.S.S. Scholarship to support you as you begin your college journey?
I intend to use the B.O.S.S Scholarship to cover part of my tuition for my first semester of college. Having to worry less about my family’s financial situation in regard to higher education has truly been a blessing and a weight lifted off my shoulders. I am extremely grateful for EverGreen Dreams and their investment in students like me. Education is a tool, and with the help of this scholarship, I can focus fully on learning new things and refining my skills with the tool of knowledge. I can’t thank you enough!
Past Recipients
Eligibility Requirements
To be considered for a B.O.S.S. Scholarship, you must meet the following criteria:
- Cis or Transgender female
- At least one parent of African descent (e.g., African-American, African, Black Caribbean, Afro-Latina)
- Graduating High School Senior
- Have been accepted at a two- or four-year college/university, or accepted at a vocational/technical school and plan to attend school in the fall of your high-school graduation year
- Legal U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- Less than 20 years of age
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher (based on a 4.0 scale)
- Not financial need based but financial need sensitive
Scholarship Timeline:
- February – Scholarship applications are available on February 1st.
- March – The application deadline is March 31st, 11:59 p.m. EST. Depending on the volume of applications, volunteer reviewers may evaluate applications and make final recommendations to the EverGreen Dreams Board of Directors. The EverGreen Dreams Board of Directors makes the final approval.
- April-mid-May – Applications reviewed.
- End of May – The selected recipients will be notified via email of their awards and are required to complete award acceptance steps.
- End of May/Early June – The Executive Director of EverGreen Dreams mails scholarship checks to recipients.
How Winners Are Chosen:
In selecting B.O.S.S. scholarship recipients, EverGreen Dreams will look for candidates who have the potential to excel as scholars, as leaders, and as contributors to the celebration of the beauty, power, and resilience of Black women. Applications will be reviewed and scored based upon the following criteria:
- Academic Performance (GPA)
- Resumes or CVs
- Essays
- Letters of recommendation
- Responsibilities and Financial Need
