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Bold Friendship Matters Scholarship

Funded by
$500
1 winner$500
Awarded
Application Deadline
Apr 14, 2022
Winners Announced
May 25, 2022
Education Level
Any
Recent Bold.org scholarship winners

“I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light,” -Helen Keller.

True friends can be hard to find but can make the difficult times in life much easier to bear. Knowing the value of friendship and being there when your friends need you ultimately makes the world a better, kinder place.

This scholarship seeks to support students who know the value of friendship and strive to be the best friends they can be.

Any student who is passionate about being a supportive, loyal, and kind friend may apply for this scholarship.

To apply, tell us what friendship means to you.

Selection Criteria:
Ambition, Need, Boldest Bold.org Profile
Published January 13, 2022
Essay Topic

What does friendship mean to you?

150–300 words

Winning Application

Angel Akujor
Western Governors UniversityHouston, TX
I met Johnathon, a new foreign student at my middle school. He was skinny, around my height, and wore bold glasses thicker than his blazing Vietnamese accent. We stood outside classes together where I'd crack jokes endlessly. I still remember the sound of his laugh and doubt I'll ever forget it. He was extremely bubbly and I loved that about him. At the end of the school year, he ended up leaving. Our school had a website dedicated to students and it allowed us to message each other. Johnathon left a message to our class and it rocked me at my core. It started off quite normal. He said that he had returned to Vietnam and was grateful for the friendships he'd made. His next sentence is what floored me. "Before I come here, I want to take my life and was very depressed. Thank you, everyone for making me laugh and being my friend." I remember reading this, unable to believe the words. My mouth fell agape as my palms began sweating while my eyes stung with tears. My throat grew dry as I reread the sentence countless times; I could hear his accent through the screen and it finally brought me to tears. I never would've seen it coming. He was just so happy. He was constantly laughing. I felt blindsided. I remember how grateful I was that we spoke so often; that he was reminded of the sweet parts of life. They say a day without laughter is a day wasted. But I never thought a simple laugh could save a life. This, I've learned, is exactly what friendship is about. It's about picking each other up and lending a hand. It's about caring about one another, even in the little ways. Little things make big differences.
Annie Sheehan
Boston University (CDIA)Boston, MA
Friendships are one of the greatest gifts we are given. They aren’t ready-made. Just like romantic relationships, they require work, sacrifice, communication, and love — all these elements combined are what makes friendships so special. It is easy to remember the good times with friends like when you go on road trips, eat junk food, share endless laughs. It is easy to remember a night of dancing with your favorite people and feeling completely alive. But, I think, what separates a friend from a peer or colleague is how you show up for someone — and how someone shows up for you — in times of difficulty. A friend is someone who arrives at your doorstep with your favorite box of cookies after a messy breakup. A friend picks up the phone at 3 am when you are not in a healthy place and helps you crawl out of a spiral. A friend is patient. A friend is kind. The Beatles were right: we get by with a little help from our friends. I don’t take the friendships in my life for granted because I don’t know where I would be — or who I would be — without the people closest to me. I am eternally grateful for my friends.

FAQ

When is the scholarship application deadline?

The application deadline is Apr 14, 2022. Winners will be announced on May 25, 2022.

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