Fisk University Launches “Fisk Bound: Transfer Success Initiative” with $10,000 Scholarships for Community College Graduates

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 4, 2025

Fisk University has launched the Fisk Bound: Transfer Success Initiative, a strategic effort to support high-achieving community college graduates through financial assistance and tailored academic resources. Designed to reinforce Fisk’s historic mission of access and advancement, the initiative provides eligible students with a $10,000 scholarship and a direct pathway to completing their four-year degree at one of the nation’s leading HBCUs.

“At Fisk, we understand that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not always equitably distributed,” said Dr. Agenia Walker Clark, President of Fisk University. “This initiative allows us to meet students where they are and invite them into an environment where they can build on their momentum, complete their degrees, and become part of a legacy that is over 150 years strong.”

Students who graduate with an associate’s degree and maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA will be automatically considered for the award upon submitting their application and transcripts. The scholarship will be applied toward tuition, with consideration based on eligibility and funding availability.

“This isn’t just about a scholarship -it’s about designing systems that honor where students are coming from and set them up for long-term success,” said Dr. Tiffany Steward, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success. “We’re focused on making the transfer process intentional, supportive, and outcome-driven. Students deserve a structure that doesn’t just admit them, but equips them.”

In addition to financial support, students accepted through the initiative will gain access to Fisk’s full range of student services and opportunities- including small class sizes, personalized faculty mentorship, career development programming, and a campus culture rooted in excellence.

“Community colleges play a critical role in educating and developing ambitious students, and this program is an extension of that work,” said Everett Jolly, Director of Admissions. “We’re not just inviting students to transfer- we’re inviting them to finish strong, to lead, and to thrive as part of the Fisk community.”

The Fisk Bound initiative reflects the University’s long-term vision to strengthen transfer partnerships and build a more connected pipeline of scholars who are ready to make meaningful impact. Conversations are already underway about expanding the program to reach a broader range of transfer students nationwide.

Interested students are encouraged to stay focused on academic excellence, complete their associate’s degree, and apply through the transfer admissions portal at www.fisk.edu as soon as possible.

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About Fisk University
Fisk University is a highly-ranked historically Black university, according to U.S. News and World Report, and is the oldest institution of higher learning in Nashville, Tennessee. Fisk’s outstanding faculty and students continue to enhance the University’s international reputation for academic excellence. Fisk’s scholars continue to make strides in all areas of the industry from Social Justice to the sciences. A Fisk education prepares students to become beacons in servicing the community and well-rounded leaders and scholars in their respective fields. Fisk offers more than 20+ undergraduate and graduate programs in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Clinical Psychology with a bridge Masters to Ph.D. program through a partnership with Vanderbilt University. For more information, visit Fisk.edu.

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