Dr. Benjamin L. Davis STEM Scholarship

$500
1 winner$500
Awarded
Application Deadline
Apr 19, 2025
Winners Announced
May 19, 2025
Education Level
High School
Eligibility Requirements
Education Level:
High school student
State:
Ohio
Field of Study:
STEM
Background:
Parent is or was incarcerated

The NAM Foundation is committed to a single goal: giving back to children of incarcerated parents. 

When your parents are incarcerated, there is often a feeling of helplessness, loneliness, despair, discouragement, and embarrassment. It is easy to worry that others will judge you for the decisions of your parents, and there are many things that you can’t do that your friends and peers are able to do. In addition to these complicated feelings, many children of incarcerated parents also struggle with their finances due to the loss of parental income. 

This scholarship aims to support deserving children of incarcerated parents so they can overcome all of the challenges they face, no matter how big or small, and be put in the best position for success in the present and future.

Any high school student in Ohio who plans to major in STEM may apply for this scholarship opportunity if they have at least one parent who is or was incarcerated.

To apply, tell us about the importance of giving back and how your parent’s incarceration has affected your academic path. Additionally, upload your favorite art piece.

Selection Criteria:
Ambition, Drive, Impact
Published September 3, 2024
Essay Topic

Explain the importance of giving back to your community. If you have a parent who is incarcerated or has been incarcerated, please share how this experience has impacted your educational journey thus far.

400–600 words

Winning Application

Nina Gullikson-Jones
Metro Early College High SchoolColumbus, OH
Growing up, I saw firsthand how incarceration creates cycles that are hard to escape. It’s not just about serving time—it’s about the instability, the financial strain, the stigma, and the emotional weight it places on families. It affects education, opportunity, and mental health. For a long time, I felt like I was carrying the weight of something I couldn’t control, something that had already determined my future before I had a chance to define it for myself. Incarceration doesn’t just affect the person behind bars—it affects entire families, shaping futures in ways that are hard to explain to those who haven’t lived it. My mother was incarcerated when I was younger, and that experience has deeply shaped my educational journey and my desire to give back to my community. At the same time, I struggled with my identity and where I came from. I used to feel ashamed of my Indigeneity. Deeply ingrained into our culture, there is the notion that black and brown children will amount to nothing. So much so that I began to believe what I saw and heard about. But as I grew older and reconnected with my culture, especially through powwows, I began to unlearn this trauma. They became a place where I felt grounded—where I could see the strength of my people, hear the songs that have survived generations, and understand that resilience is part of who we are. I used to be ashamed of where I came from, but now I carry it with pride. Contrary to what I was taught to believe in my educational journey, being Afro-Indigenous and living in a single parent household did not make me predestined to fail. I began to see my education not just as a way out, but as a way forward—not just for myself, but for my community. I don’t want to just escape the struggles that come with poverty, incarceration, and generational trauma—I want to break those cycles. Public schooling and educational systems particularly in the midwest are not always environments conducive towards the success of people of color. I want to be part of the change that ensures future generations have opportunities that weren’t always available to those before them. Now, when I think about my mother’s experience, I don’t just think about the pain of it—I think about the responsibility it has given me. It has made me determined to uplift others, to work toward a future where incarceration isn’t the story that defines so many Indigenous and Black families. It has taught me that giving back isn’t just about helping others—it’s about healing, about making sure the struggles of the past don’t dictate the future.

FAQ

When is the scholarship application deadline?

The application deadline is Apr 19, 2025. Winners will be announced on May 19, 2025.