Dear Scholarship Applicant:

We are currently seeking individuals that exemplify the qualities of scholarship that will be honored at our annual Scholarship Reception.

We are now accepting applications for the 2025  Herman  J. Russell Scholarship.  In order to apply for this application, you must meet the following criteria:

• Must be a male presently enrolled as a college student at a college or university.
• Must have a minimum cumulative 2.75 GPA at the time of the application deadline.
• Should be a responsible, supportive, self-disciplined, positive, and energetic individual who is interested in the welfare of education and in the community.
• Must show proof of enrollment to a college or university.
• Must attend Kappa Alpha Sigma’s Scholarship Reception to receive the award on Saturday, December 6th, 2025.  Selected Scholarship winner(s) will be notified of the venue and any change in date by November 10th , 2025

Enclosed, you will find the 2025 Herman J. Russell scholarship application. . The scholarship application and all required documents  must be received  by Friday , October  24thth  no later than 11:59pm.  Please make sure that the following forms/documents are turned in:

• COMPLETED 2025  Herman J. Russell Scholarship Application
• Current Resume
• Scholarship Essay (4 pages maximum)
• OFFICIAL copy of high school transcript
• Two letters of recommendation from a faculty/staff member (teacher, principal, and/or guidance counselor), employer, or coach/organizational sponsor who can assess your skills.

Once we receive your application, an email confirming that we have received it will be provided.  Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted.  After all applications have been received, applicants will be assessed using a point system using the following information:

• Application with resume
• Grade Point Average
• Recommendation Letters
• Scholarship Essay
• Overall Presentation

If you have any questions about the scholarship application, please contact us  at info@kas1914.org   Thank you for your time and good luck with the process!

Sincerely,

Bro. Brennan Hamilton

Director of Education

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated

Kappa Alpha Sigma Chapter

2025 Scholarship Committee Chair

Herman J. Russell

(December 23, 1930 – November 15, 2014)

Herman Jerome Russell,  was a pioneering African American entrepreneur and philanthropist who made a significant impact on the real estate and construction industries. He founded H.J. Russell & Company, which grew to become the largest Minority Business Enterprise real estate and construction firm in the United States.

Russell played a vital role not only in business but also in the civil rights movement. He was a confidante of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the 1960s and used his influence and resources to support the movement. His success was groundbreaking at a time when African American business ownership was severely limited by systemic racism.

Over the decades, Russell expanded his business interests to include a diversified portfolio spanning real estate development, construction, and food services. His companies included:

• H.J. Russell and Company
  
• H.J. Russell Plastering Company
  
• Paradise Management, Inc.
  
• DDR International
  
• Concessions International
  
• Southeast Land Development Company
  

Through these ventures, Russell not only built wealth but also created employment opportunities and helped pave the way for future generations of Black entrepreneurs. His legacy continues to influence both the business world and the ongoing fight for racial and economic equality.

Scholarship Rules and Guidelines

In order to be eligible to receive the 2025 Herman. J. Russell Scholarship, the following rules apply:

1. Must be a male presently enrolled as a college student at any university.
2. Must have a minimum cumulative 2.75. GPA at the time of the application deadline.
3. Should be a responsible, supportive, self-disciplined, positive, and energetic individual who is interested in the welfare of education and in the community.
4. The number of awards is at the sole discretion of the Kappa Alpha Sigma  scholarship committee.
5. The Kappa Alpha Sigma  scholarship committee will judge the submitted scholarship applications. Finalists will be selected based on the application and attached documents.  The scholarship recipient will be chosen and notified by Friday, November 7th 2025.
6. The Kappa Alpha Sigma scholarship committee reserves the right to conduct an interview of the finalists.
7. The scholarship recipients will be determined by the Kappa Alpha Sigma scholarship committee. It is solely at the discretion of the Kappa Alpha Sigma scholarship committee to make the determination of which applicants followed the guidelines as set forth in the application.
8. The winner must attend the scholarship reception to receive the award on Saturday, December 6th, 2025.

Please be sure to complete the scholarship application form and include ALL attachments listed below.  Failure to adhere to the instructions will result in disqualification of your application.

1. COMPLETED 2025 Herman J. Russell Scholarship Application
2. Current resume
3. An official copy of your college/university transcript showing your cumulative GPA.
4. Two letters of recommendation:

1. Each recommendation must be submitted directly via email from the following:

1. Faculty/staff member (teacher, principal, and/or guidance counselor); employer, or coach/organizational sponsor who can assess your skills.

2. NOTE: All recommenders must submit their letters directly to info@kas1914.org  by the application deadline. Please inform recommenders to utilize the email Subject format:    “ Herman  J. Russell Scholarship Application – Your Name”

5. A 2-4 page scholarship essay (information will be included in application)

Your completed application package should be saved as a zipped file of the required application package documents entitled COMPLETED 2025 Herman J. Russell Scholarship Application-Your Name and emailed to info@kas1914.org  by  Friday , October  24th 2025 no later than 11:59pm.

6. Please email your completed application package with the email Subject “COMPLETED 2025 Herman J. Russell Scholarship Application – Your Name” since we will be receiving a number of applications during this application process.

2025 Herman J. Russell

Scholarship Application

Please type answers below and attach a current resume.

Name: ________________________________________________________________________________________________

Address: _____________________________________________________________________________________________

City: __________________________________  State: _______________________________  Zip Code: _____________

Home Phone: ______________________________________  Cell Phone: ___________________________________

Email Address: ______________________________________________________________________________________

Date of Birth: _____________________________________________________  Age: ____________________________

Name of Institution: ________________________________________________________________________________

Address: _____________________________________________________________________________________________

City: __________________________________  State: _______________________________  Zip Code: ____________

Dates of Attendance: ___________________________________ to _________________________________________

Cumulative GPA: ________  / ________  Expected Date of Graduation: ___________________________

                           (i.e. 3.5/4.0 scale)

Major(s): _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Minor(s) (if applicable): ___________________________________________________________________________

Please answer the following questions concisely and attach additional sheets if needed.

1. What other scholarships, grants, or financial aid awards have you received or do you expect to receive for the 2025 school year?

2. What academic awards, recognitions, or honors did you receive during your high school career?

3. What community service activities or organizations have you been involved with in the last year?

4. List all your involvement in student organizations.  Please include if you have held any leadership positions and years involved.

5. List all of your current and previous work experience.  Please include the type of work you did, how many hours you worked per week, and length of employment.

6. Why should you receive this year’s Herman  J. Russell Scholarship?  What type of impact would this scholarship have on your education?

Topic:. Is it possible to use platforms such as Chat GPT in order to create a meaningful learning experience? Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this platform within the context of your academic experience. What is the best course of action for students navigating the rise of artificial intelligence in the classroom?

Essay Criteria:

• Your essay should be between two to four pages, double-spaced and typed.
• Size 12 font (only Times New Roman or Arial font are accepted)
• Your essay will be judged based on the following:

• The degree to which the writer establishes a compelling thesis and elaborates the main points with examples, illustrations, facts or details that are appropriate to the audience.
• The degree to which the writer’s ideas are arranged in a clear order and the overall structure of the response is consistent to the audience.
• The degree to which the writer controls language to engage the reader.
• The degree to which the writer demonstrates control of sentence formation, usage, and mechanics.

• The essay will account for a major portion of the scoring criteria for the awarding of the scholarship.
• The use or suspected use of Artificial Intelligence software to create the essay will result in disqualification.

Recommendations

Each applicant must have TWO letters of recommendation for their application package.  Each recommendation letter must be submitted directly from your recommender to info@kas1914.org  by the application deadline or the application will be considered incomplete.  Please inform recommenders to utilize the email Subject format:    “Herman J. Russell Scholarship Recommendation – Your Name”.   Faculty/staff members (teachers, principals, and/or guidance counselors); employers; and coaches/organizational sponsors are all acceptable recommenders who can assess your skills.

Transcripts

Applicants can email a copy of their high school/college to info@kas1914.org  The transcript should show the applicant’s GPA and, if possible, the applicant’s percentile rank.  Applications are considered incomplete until transcripts and/or academic verifications are received by the KAS scholarship committee.

By signing this application, I affirm that all information contained within this application and accompanying attachments are complete, accurate and all information is truthful. I certify that I did not use Artificial Intelligence to complete any portion of the application materials.  Also by signing this application, I authorize the Sigma Youth Leadership Foundation Scholarship Committee to check my academic transcript to verify my current cumulative GPA.

Applicant

Printed Name: _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Signature: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Date: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The following checklist is provided for the applicant’s benefit.  To be eligible for this scholarship, the applicant must make sure all of the following are done and the completed application package must be submitted to info@kas1914.org by Friday , October  24th 2025 no later than 11:59 pm please save all files of the application package as a zipped archive with the file name “Herman J. Russell Scholarship Application

– Your Name.''

• COMPLETED 2025 Herman  J. Russell Scholarship Application
• Applicant’s Current Resume
• Copy of High School /College Transcript (emailed to info@kas1914.org 
• Scholarship Essay (4 pages maximum)
• Two Letters of Recommendation sent directly to info@kas1914.org 

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact KAS  Scholarship Committee at info@kas1914.org .  Good luck with the application process!