SOUTHERN SCHOLARS

The Dr. Doretha Pressey Southern Scholars Initiative is a 501c3 nonprofit scholarship and college completion program dedicated to creating access, equity, and success for students of color from low-income communities in the rural South. We are motivated and guided by the legacy of our founder, Dr. Doretha Pressey, a passionate and determined educator who committed her life to generously helping those in need. Education, Determination, and Generosity were three of the core principles that exemplified Dr. Pressey's life and work and they have become the three major tenets upon which our work is based.

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Southern Scholars provides a foundation of financial, community, and career support necessary for Scholar success. We exist to dismantle the barriers that students of color from the Rural South so often face when pursuing higher education. In turn, our Scholars learn the skills necessary to become successful in their careers and upstanding advocates for their communities. We believe that education is not merely a pathway but that it is the key to breaking generational cycles of poverty.