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Mary E. Bryant Scholarship Fund

 

The Mary E. Bryant Scholarship program was started in 2012, in honor of Project LINK co-founder Mary Bryant, to recognize academic excellence by high school students planning to pursue a traditional baccalaureate degree at an accredited four-year college, university or military academy in the U.S.

 

The first Mary E. Bryant Scholarships was awarded in the year 2014-2015 School year. The goal is to award one additional scholarship every year.

 

The Mary E. Bryant Scholarship is open to students who graduate from one of Project LINK's targeted Hillsborough County public high schools.

 

The winners are selected by an independent panel made up of corporate sponsors and community leaders, and based on their SAT or ACT scores, volunteerism demonstrated leadership and junior year academic performance.

 

Mary Bryant scholars are both graduate and undergraduate students and must be enrolled in an accredited school and receiving college credit for the time period covered by their grant.

 

 

Scholarship Qualification Criteria

 

  • The student must be in their first year of study for an elementary education degree in an accredited baccalaureate or master’s degree program.

  • The student must be African American, American Indian, Asian American, and/or Hispanic/Latino.

  • The student must have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

  • The student must be enrolled in 12 credit hours (and/or full time) during the semester for which the award is granted.

  • The student must have demonstrated a commitment to promoting academic achievement and community service.

 

Now Open:

 

2019–2020 Scholarship Application Cycle

 

  • Complete and return the 2019–2020 application (MS Word)

 

  • Receipt deadline at Project LINK is Monday, April 20, 2020; instructions included on the application form

 

The Late Mary E. Bryant Biography (1935-2011)

 

The late Mary Elizabeth Montgomery Bryant was born to the union of Edward and Okaretha Montgomery. A Tampa native who attend public school in Hillsborough County.

 

She earned her Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from Bethune Cookman College in 1955, a Masters from Florida A&M University and a doctorate from the University of South Florida. An educator for more than 40 years, she began her career as a first-grade teacher and music teacher in Okeechobee County at Douglas Brown Elementary.

 

After transferring to Hillsborough County’s School system, she served 15 years as a principal at Phillip Shore Elementary and Roland Park Elementary.

 

Mrs. Bryant served as the first black woman president of Hillsborough County Elementary Principals’ Council and was the Area Director for Hillsborough County's Area II.

 

She was also s the first African American woman to serve as the Assistant Superintendent for Supportive Services in Hillsborough County Public Schools.

 

She was awarded the state’s Ida S. Baker Distinguished Minority Educator award. Mrs. Bryant retired in 1997 but stayed active and predominant in the community.

 

In 2002, a school in northwest Hillsborough County was named Mary E. Bryant Elementary in honor of her beloved lifelong educator

 

 

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