ATLANTA — For many students, walking across the stage without the burden of student loans is a distant dream, but for one Clark Atlanta University senior, the dream has come true thanks to a scholarship provided by the United Negro College Fund (UNCF).
"Going to college isn't an easy task; you have to be committed; you have to be diligent on your path," Madysen Forney, a Clark Atlanta University senior, said. "Being able to graduate without the burden of my parents and my family members a huge accomplishment."
Each year, UNCF awards more than $100 million in scholarships to more than 1,100 students, focusing on those attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). With a focus on investing in higher education, UNCF continues its mission, bringing Atlanta together for its main fundraising event—the 40th Annual Mayor's Masked Ball.
"In the past ten years, we have raised more than 11 million dollars," Justine Boyd, a representative from UNCF, said.
Boyd said the help is needed more than ever with the rise in college tuition.
"Clark Atlanta University is $40,000 a year," Boyd said. "Spellman is even more than that -- and Morehouse -- so it is very expensive to attend college."
The Mayor's Masked Ball is scheduled for this weekend. It began in 1983 by Billye Aaron and Ambassador Andrew Young; the Mayor's Masked Ball has inspired 18 other cities to support UNCF through similar events.
"Atlanta is a very generous community," Boyd said. "They are very supportive. They have been there for us, and they continue to be there."
UNCF hopes that this weekend's contributions will further its mission of investing in students like Forney, who plans on attending law school and aspiring to become a first-generation lawyer, and open doors to endless possibilities.