High school senior donates his college savings after a prestigious scholarship

By Jack Owens May 14, 2021

hen this high school senior earned a full ride to college through a prestigious scholarship, he decided lend a helping hand by donating his college savings to another student. Now, he is making headlines for his generosity, and encourages others to follow in his footsteps.

Joshua Nelson, a senior at St. Charles West High School, was one of five students to be awarded the Presidents Scholarship at Southeast Missouri State University, an award for which 288 people applied. The scholarship is valued at $43,000 and will pay for Nelson’s room and board for four years.

While many students in his position would have saved the money that they had put aside for college to spend on themselves, Nelson had a different plan. The 18-year-old decided to donate the $1000 in his college fund to another student in need.

With this money, Nelson created the Joshua Nelson Leaders in Action Scholarship, which aims “to help multicultural students who are showing leadership, community service and just have great qualities in and out of the classroom.”

“I feel like it’s important to be involved in your community and leaving a legacy,” Nelson said.

Nelson hopes that his donation will pave a path for more donations from local businesses and others so that his new scholarship can help as many students as possible.

“I think he’s an inspiration to some of the other people at the school especially students of color,” Harmony Hudson, a classmate of Nelson. “I don’t even think he realizes that he’s doing that much for everyone else as well.”

During his time in high school, Nelson was the president of his schools Multicultural Achievement Council, and was a member of various organizations like the National Honor Society, the National Society of Black Engineers, and the Black Student Union.

Nelson says that his dream is for the Joshua Nelson Leaders in Action Scholarship to be funded for years to come.