Sorority increases impact with scholarship endowment funds
The Raleigh Alumnae Chapter-Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., has contributed significantly to the community since its establishment in 1938. In more than eight decades, it has grown to 390 members who are trailblazers actively engaged in service in the communities they love.
“We pride ourselves on making sure we’re covering the essential areas of need for the community based on social action, financial literacy, international awareness, and political involvement,” says treasurer Angela Smith.
To further its impact, the Raleigh Alumnae Chapter established an endowment in 1999 through the North Carolina Community Foundation to provide college scholarships for active and successful students in their programs. Since 2006, the fund has gifted $243,000 to deserving recipients.
But when community members asked for more, the chapter responded. “Some of the feedback that came to us in our community forums included questions about community role models,” explains Chapter President Lillian M. Davis. “Community members asked, ‘How would we one day be able to go to school, and how will we be able to show our children what a true role model looks like?”
The question did not fall on deaf ears, and the leadership wanted to reassure the community they were heard. “We wanted to do more than just pour into physical and basic needs but to enrich lives in another way,” Davis says.
When the leadership considered what keeps some Black females from being able to further their careers, they discovered that lack of education often stands in their way. This discovery influenced the launching of a second NCCF endowment in 2023.
“We know different people have different ways of getting educational achievement,” Davis says. “We wanted to provide that opportunity because everyone’s not able to get a scholarship or have family members to pay their funds. We also looked at the increase of students having to have loans to attend schools. We wanted kids in marginalized communities to have the opportunity to have educational funding.”
The second endowment awards scholarships to non-traditional students planning to attend a two or four-year college, university, or technical certification program who did not finish or never attended college.
“The non-traditional scholarship is geared toward African American adult females who are looking to continue or start their education endeavors,” says Davis. “We’re striving to help them financially support their interests, so they still have hope for their dream of achieving educational success.”
Continuing the long and successful history of the Raleigh Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma theta sorority in the triangle, this fund awarded its first scholarship in 2024, giving special consideration to African American women over age 30. Leaders of the Raleigh Alumnae Chapter say working with the NCCF to administer the scholarships has been an inspiring process. “It’s given us the opportunity to build different partnerships and enhanced our ability to serve,” says Davis.
Collaborating and partnering with community groups and organizations is essential,” Smith adds. “No one person can do it alone.”
This year, the original scholarship provided a total of $13,000 to five students. The new scholarship for non-traditional students awarded two $1,500 scholarships to Shaquela Pate and Jennelle Stallings.
Pate, of Cary, grew up in a home marked by childhood trauma, which has been a catalyst in shaping her drive to succeed.
“My experiences have cultivated within me a profound empathy for others facing similar challenges and a commitment to leveraging my own journey to uplift and empower those around me,” she says.
The first-generation college student is attending Shaw University and aspires to be a social worker, specializing in mental health and trauma-informed care. Her goal is to provide holistic support to marginalized populations, advocating for their rights and facilitating access to resources that promote well-being and social justice.
Stallings, of Raleigh, has been attending Elizabeth City State University virtually, allowing her to balance work and school. She expects to graduate in December with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, which will help her advance in her current role as a claims specialist at United Healthcare.
“This scholarship not only alleviates some of the financial burdens associated with continuing my education but also serves as a powerful motivator to excel in my studies and contribute positively to the community,” she says. “[Their] generosity is a beacon of hope for many like me who strive to achieve their academic and professional goals despite the challenges we face.”