At the Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast at La Roche College on January 15th, NASH senior Julia Lagnese graciously accepted the Spirit of Unity Award. The breakfast was dedicated to those who celebrate diversity in their community, and Julia’s involvement and efforts to improve equality took center stage as she was awarded the scholarship. We caught up with Julia to learn a little more about the scholarship and her efforts in her community.

What is the Spirit of Unity Award?
It’s an award that is associated with a combination of several wonderful organizations in the community, including North Hills Community Outreach and the American Association of University Women to name a couple. It is designed to award a scholarship to a student who is working towards equality in their local community.

How did you find it?
Well, I was looking for some local scholarships to apply for just because I figured they would be easier to actually win than national ones. So I went to the scholarship list on Naviance and found it was open to any student in North Hills who “acts as an agent of change for racial or social justice and embodies the ideals of Martin Luther King, Jr.”

What was the application process?
Applying was actually rather simple. I filled out a very basic application form and wrote a 300-word essay laying out how I “exemplify the quality of the Spirit of Unity Award.” One letter of recommendation was also required. Mrs. Lombardi very generously wrote a letter for me–which I greatly appreciate!

Why do you think you won the award?
In my essay, I wrote about how I believe if we want to achieve equality in the way Martin Luther King so dreamed for, we must start at the root of the problem with the blatant inequality found in our school systems. I then explained my involvement and love for Grandview Elementary, an underprivileged school in the Pittsburgh Public school system, through the Grandview Mentoring Project, Brashear Association, and a coin drive for school supplies with the Interact Club. So, I think that both my clear focus on the issue of education and my letter of recommendation from Mrs. Lombardi allowed me to win.

Would you encourage others to apply for this award in the future?
Absolutely! It wasn’t a terribly laborious application to complete and was just a really incredible experience. I got to attend a lovely breakfast, listen to a really powerful speech on racism from the keynote speaker, Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi, talk with some amazing community members, and of course receive $1000 to pay for college. It was definitely a rewarding experience, in more ways than one, and I would definitely recommend it if you believe that it suits you.

Interested in applying for this scholarship? Please visit Naviance for more details on the application requirements.