Jay Ellis Scholarship (Winter)
We are very excited to announce that Jay Ellis, acclaimed actor and activist, is working with us this year! Jay is awarding two (2) $5,000 scholarships, which he created to extend his support to students in the BIPOC community, who have historically faced greater obstacles to educational achievement.
Applicants must demonstrate financial need and meet the following criteria for consideration:
- Pursuing or planning to pursue an undergraduate degree at an accredited United States institution
- Pursuing or planning to pursue a major in TV & Film, Performing Arts, or Writing
*Preference will be given to members of the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities
Please note: If you have previously applied for the Fall award, you will need to re-apply to be considered for the Winter award.
Jay has served as the National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day Spokesman, and has spoken at the White House for the final “My Brother’s Keeper” summit, an initiative created by President Barack Obama to address persistent opportunity gaps faced by young men of color. He also serves on the board of Inside Out Writers, a Los Angeles based non-profit that teaches creative writing classes in juvenile halls throughout L.A. County.
Winner Selection: January 12, 2022
About Jay Ellis
Jay can be seen starring in the highly anticipated Top Gun sequel, Top Gun: Maverick. He currently stars as ‘Lawrence’ on HBO’s critically acclaimed comedy series Insecure. He can also be seen in the FX/HULU limited series Mrs. America starring Cate Blanchett. Jay won the NAACP Image Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2018 and Insecure has been nominated for an NAACP Image Award in the category of “Outstanding Comedy Series” in 2017 and 2018.
As a producer, Ellis recently completed production on the feature film Black Box for Amazon. He is currently developing several feature films including Knocking Day (Sony), Bang & Burn (Netflix) and Kill Someone (Warner Brothers).
Jay has served as the National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day Spokesman. Ellis has spoken at the White House for the final “My Brother’s Keeper” summit, an initiative created by President Barack Obama to address persistent opportunity gaps faced by young men of color, and to ensure that all young people can reach their full potential. He also serves on the board of Inside Out Writers, a Los Angeles based non-profit that teaches creative writing classes in juvenile halls throughout L.A. County.
Winner Selection: January 12, 2022
