Alston for Athletes 1st Annual Scholarship Announcement

Baltimore, MD- Alston for Athletes (AFA) is excited to announce their first annual scholarship, which will be awarded to a current or incoming collegiate athlete for the Fall of 2021.
“Over the past several months the AFA team has been working diligently to refine our mentoring program. After talking with AFA’s Board, we’ve decided it was in the best interest of our young organization to provide scholarships to high school and collegiate athletes struggling with mental illness,” said Marcus Alston, the founder and Executive Director of AFA. “Launching our scholarship program keeps us aligned with our mission and creates more opportunity for an underserved population.”

This year’s scholarship is worth $2,000, and will be awarded to an athlete currently on a team at a college or university in Maryland who is battling a mental illness. In addition to the funds, scholarship winners will receive monthly mentoring sessions from the AFA team, mental health screening & resources, connections to other mental health & sports related organizations, opportunities to meet mentors and business professionals, and have the opportunity to collaborate on content & program initiatives.
Application Instructions
To apply for the Annual AFA Scholarship, please complete the essay and submit it to Christa Doyle (christalynndoyle@gmail.com) by June 30th, 2021. Late applications and incomplete applications will not be considered.
Application Requirements
1. Must be a DI, DII, or DIII student-athlete
2. Must be clinically diagnosed with depression, anxiety, mood disorder, or another mental illness
3. Must attend a university or college in Maryland
4. Must be enrolled in the 2021 fall semester
5. Must have some community service experience
6. Must have a minimum GPA of 2.5
7. Must submit essay to Christa Doyle by June 30th, 2021
8. Must commit to attending the scholarship awards ceremony (with few exceptions)
9. Must provide personal thank you card for the donor of the scholarship (if selected)
10. Must use funds for books, tuition, rent, mental health services, and travel
Essay Requirements
The essay will require you to share your journey as an athlete dealing with mental health. Please include the following in your essay:
1. 2-3 pages, double spaced
2. The beginning of your athletic career
3. The turning point in your athletic career
4. Your first experience dealing with mental health
5. Persevering through your mental health challenge
6. Any community service done recently
7. Any personal accolades (all-conference, national champion, dean’s list, etc.)

Scholarship Announcement
The scholarship winner will be announced at the AFA Golf Classic at Waverly Woods Golf Club on September 13th, 2021 at 8:00 am EST.

For any questions or concerns, please contact AFAs Director of Development, Research, and Assessment Christa Doyle