When she was a senior at Thurgood Marshall Academy in Washington, D.C., Faith Hudson’s school called a special assembly. She didn’t think much of it; visitors often came by for panels and to learn more about the small public charter school in Southeast D.C
It wasn’t until Hudson entered the school auditorium and saw George Washington University’s mascot that she began to suspect this might not be a typical school meeting. Then her family appeared, and she knew it would be no ordinary day.
Earlier that year, Hudson’s school counselor had nominated her for GWU’s Stephen Joel Trachtenberg (SJT) scholarship. GWU awards up to 10 scholarships each year to students in the District, covering tuition, room and board, books and fees.
As it turned out, GWU chose Hudson.
As her family gathered around her to celebrate the achievement, Hudson didn’t know what to think.
“It was crazy. I was really in shock,” she says. “It really didn’t hit me. I was in a daze; I was speechless; I had nothing to say.”
In one stroke, the scholarship eliminated all of her concerns about paying for college — the complicated equation of aid, loans and part-time jobs.
