How a Single Scholarship Transforms Families, Communities, and Futures

What Is The Ripple Effect Of Supporting One Student?

What if helping one student isn’t small at all, but the start of a chain reaction? We dig into how a single scholarship and a trusted mentor can rewrite a life story—and how those stories scale into a nationwide network of alumni who lift as they climb. From a 1963 beginning to more than 48,000 graduates today, we trace how belief, access, and accountability compound over time.

We share a vivid case study of a student who found direction with a college advisor, graduated from Morehouse with honors, earned a law degree at Georgia State, and returned as an alumni liaison to mentor the next wave. Alongside the story, we unpack fresh data from a dedicated analysis: NEED alumni outperform peers across socioeconomic status, occupational outcomes, health and wellness, and civic engagement. When compared with the broader African American population—and even against white populations—the gap in wealth, education, and achievement narrows for alumni, underscoring how targeted college access and support alter long-term trajectories.

Across the conversation, we highlight why relatable mentorship matters, how the annual scholarship dinner transfers belief through lived testimony, and why the ethic of service is the engine of scale. This is education as community-building: each one, teach one; each one, reach many. If you’ve ever wondered whether helping one student makes a difference, you’ll leave with both the story and the stats to say yes with confidence.

Join us, share this with someone who needs the push, and be part of the ripple—subscribe, rate, and leave a review so more people can find their way to opportunity.

To learn more about NEED visit:
https://www.NEEDLD.org
NEED
429 Fourth Avenue, 20th FL, Suite 2000
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
412-566-2760

Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (00:04):
Welcome to the Mead Podcast, highlighting students,
partners, and advocates.
Presented by me and hosted byDr.
Marcia Sturtevant, President andCEO, this series highlights the
impact of mentoring,philanthropy, and collaborative
partnerships that empowerstudents' triumphant entry into
and progression through highereducation.

(00:26):
Whether you're applying forscholarships or supporting the
mission, you'll find insightsthat inform, inspire, and
empower.

SPEAKER_02 (00:42):
One scholarship, one mentor, one opportunity.
In this episode, we explore howsupporting a single student can
transform families, communities,and futures.
Welcome back, everyone.
I am Millie M, co-host andproducer, back in the studio
with Dr.
Marcia Sturdivant, president andCEO of NEEM.
How's it going?
Yeah, I'm good.

(01:02):
How are you?
I'm doing well.
I'm so glad to be back with you,Dr.
Sturtevant.
Let's talk about the ripplesupporting one student.

SPEAKER_01 (01:11):
Okay.
Well, in 1963, that's exactlywhat happened.
I need started with a fewstudents, and once they
succeeded in their collegequest, it just had a ripple
effect.
Students are our biggestadvertisement.
They're our biggest ambassadors.

(01:31):
That many times, kids, you know,at that age, you know, your high
school, in the middle ofadolescence, where you think
you're the only one, that yourexperience is so unique that
challenges are insurmountable,that you're the you're different
than everyone else.
And you know, that's it's areality, it's a part of growing

(01:54):
up in the developmental processof teenagers.
But we try to help themunderstand that no, you're not
alone, you're not the only one,how we've had our own
experiences.
And when students come out andadvertise what they've done,
which we use a lot of ourstudents as speakers, you know,

(02:17):
on behalf of me.
And one event I know that has aprofound impact of translating
all of that down to someone elseor transferring the experience
is our annual scholarshipdinner, which brings a little
over 600 people together tohonor students who are receiving

(02:39):
scholarships from me, and theytell their story.
We generally have someone whotells their story, and I can
highlight one gentleman who isnow working as our liaison, our
alumni liaison, where he didn'tquite know what he wanted to do
while he was in Skype highschool and he was ending his

(03:02):
high school career.
Very nice young man, didn't haveany real heavy duty problems and
you know personally, but hadsome challenges around the
community that he lived in, alsoaround his direction that he
wanted to go.
But one day his mother told him,Well, you have to figure out

(03:25):
something.
And he did make a decision tocome and talk to one of our
advisors, our college advisors.
And he ended up reallyconnecting with what our mission
was.
Well, long story short, hegraduated high school, went on
to Morehouse College, graduatedwith honors, later went on to

(03:49):
Georgia State University, and isnow an attorney.
And he he credits his successwith, of course, his very strong
family, but also the supportthat he didn't quite have while
he was in school.
When you have mentorship thatlooks like you, mentorship that

(04:15):
can share their story, and thatthat story mirrors yours, and
then also mentorship thatmotivates you, that tells you
you are brilliant.
You can do anything that youwant.
Good things happen.
And that's what happened to thatone student.
And right now, he, like I said,he's our liaison for all of our

(04:39):
alum.
And he goes out and doesspeaking engagements, he does
things on social media and Zoomand so on, telling his story to
encourage others to enter thefold.
But he's not the only one.
We have over 48,000 along, andthey are located, they reside

(05:01):
now in just about every one ofthe 50 states in the United
States, and they tell theirstory.
And so now there's a networkwhere someone will call or
answer something on our websiteor ask something on our website.
Hey, someone, you know,so-and-so told me about how they

(05:21):
helped them when they were inhigh school.
And that's how we transferredthat.
Our own alums are those thathelp continue the legacy,
continue the story, and bring inother ambassadors.
And we're just so appreciativeof what we've been able to do,
but even more proud andappreciative of students who

(05:45):
haven't forgotten that we werethere to help them.

SPEAKER_02 (05:50):
Each one, each one, and those.

SPEAKER_01 (05:52):
I'm a former need.
We reciprocate.
And of course, you know, in myposition now, I'm in a position
to tell my story to others andcontinue, continue the work of
me.

SPEAKER_02 (06:17):
So it sounds like each one, teach one, and then
those messages are spread out,and that's how one student can
have a ripple effect throughoutthe entire country.
So what metrics or outcomes doesneed to have to measure
long-term impact?

(06:54):
Are you able to hear me?

SPEAKER_01 (06:57):
No.
Now I can.

SPEAKER_02 (07:00):
Now you can.
All right.
So what metrics or outcomes doesneed attract to measure
long-term impact?

SPEAKER_01 (07:09):
Oh, that's a great question.
We had a data scientist look atthat very question that you're
talking about because data willinform practice, you know,
empirically inform practice.
And what we found out was thatwhen you compare socioeconomic
status indicators, lifestyles,health, and wellness, need alum

(07:35):
outperform their peers thatdidn't receive our services.
Okay.
So when you compare them to thegeneral African American public,
need students from all over thecountry or better live better
lifestyles, I should say, interms of occupational

(07:56):
achievement, social outcomes,health and wellness, and so on.
And that was just alarming,wonderfully so, but alarming.
Uh, because when you have thoseprotective barriers, that
clearly that would make sensethat you would do better if
you're gainfully employed andemployed in occupations that

(08:18):
command, say, higher wages andhigher social positions.
We also found that many of ourstudents are alum former alum,
give back.
Yes, that they are involved inuh either voluntarily or in
professions that serve thecommunity.

(08:41):
They have high levels of thebelief that they should give
back and be of service to theircommunities.
Now it's interesting that whenwe compared the need a lot to
the general African-Americanpopulation, we also did a
comparison to white populations.
And when we compare that, thegap between wealth, education,

(09:09):
and achievement was reduced.
That while we're clearly not atparity, but that gap was reduced
significantly.
And I think that that certainlysells the story about the value
of education because that's whatwe do.
You know, all of our alums arecollege educated, graduated

(09:34):
students, and the value ofeducation clearly is indicated
when you look at life outcomes,that you're just better off, so
to speak, than those who did nothave the same opportunity.
And I know a lot of people say,well, you don't need college.
I our data show otherwise, thatclearly there is a benefit to

(09:58):
obtaining a college degree.
And our alam are represented inall professions, you know, from
teachers, social serviceworkers, attorneys, judges,
mayors, I mean, reallyhigh-achiev individuals.

(10:19):
But the idea that parently isinstilled is that I have to be
of service now, I'm committed tobe of service to our community.
And that's something we're very,very proud of.

SPEAKER_02 (10:31):
As you should, as you should.
So I believe you've alreadyanswered this question, but one
last note what would you say tosomeone who wonders if helping
just one student really makes adifference?

SPEAKER_01 (10:43):
Well, that's one less student that maybe it's not
positioning or would end up in anet in the negative outcomes.
And it's one student at a time.
We have, like I said, 48,000,50,000 students, but one student
can make the difference becausethat student will be able to

(11:07):
better take care of theirthemselves, their families, and
it's a community-wide approach.
And don't stop, don't believethat that one student doesn't
make does not make a difference.
It clearly does.
And that's what we're aboutcommunity building and making
not just individuals, but thecommunity at large and the

(11:30):
nation at large in betterpositions to achieve.

SPEAKER_02 (11:35):
Thank you for that inspiring perspective, Dr.
Sturdivant.
We'll catch up next time tocontinue highlighting the power
of education.

SPEAKER_00 (11:46):
Thank you for listening to the Need Podcast.
To apply for scholarships,access support, or learn how you
or your organization can getinvolved, visit www.needld.org.
Email needph at gmail.com orcall 412 566 2760.

(12:09):
Unlocking the power of educationfor students, families, and the
future of our region.