‘Next level.’ Transylvania offers $20,000 scholarships to some Douglass graduates
Clouds couldn’t dampen the excitement on the football field at Frederick Douglass High School on Wednesday.
Students clapped and cheered as they learned that graduates of the school’s Academy of Health Science biomedical science program will be eligible for a minimum $20,000 annual scholarship to Transylvania University.
“We want students from throughout our community to know that they can afford a top-level, nationally ranked liberal arts education right here in Lexington,” Transylvania President Brien Lewis said Wednesday. “We are taking the steps to help make that happen. We want to open doors for you.”
Students from the biomedical program can pick any major at Transylvania for the scholarship. Lewis said the partnership will allow students to stay in their hometown while continuing their education.
“With the strength of the program here at Frederick Douglass and the academy, it’s just such a natural fit to want to keep the top talent that Lexington is generating here in Lexington,” Lewis said.
Frederick Douglass Principal Lester Diaz said the scholarship announcement strengthens the relationship between the two schools and expands options for students.
“We are grateful that the work being done in our Academy of Health Science has a direct impact on our students and their future,” said Frederick Douglass Principal Lester Diaz. “Transylvania is taking community partnerships to the next level while expanding the world of possibilities for graduates of Frederick Douglass.”
Students who graduate from the biomedical science program, apply to Transylvania by Feb. 1 of their senior year of high school and are admitted to Transylvania will receive a minimum $20,000 scholarship. The scholarship is renewable each year, and students are also eligible for additional scholarships from Transylvania.
Frederick Douglass is one of three academy schools in Fayette County Public Schools. There, students with specific career interests can enroll in courses that will prepare them for life after high school.
When Frederick Douglass High School opened in 2017, there were 17 students enrolled in the biomedical program. This spring, there will be more than 60 students enrolled, said Fayette County Public Schools Superintendent Demetrus Liggins.
“The new partnership with Transylvania University will help us elevate this program even further,” Liggins said, adding that the partnership will help prepare students for the “21st century skills that they need.”