An Oklahoma university soon will be offering a scholarship named for a Leflore County native and designated for Leflore County students.
The Melvin Henderson Leflore County Scholarship will be available to those attending Langston University in Langston, Oklahoma.
Melvin Henderson graduated from Langston in 1978 with an undergraduate degree in accounting. Shortly thereafter he found work with a Texas-based oil company. Henderson described his Langston degree as his “ticket to the world.”
In 2011, Henderson decided to set up the scholarship fund in honor of Langston’s “steadfast commitment to educating a historically underserved American population” and to enable students from Leflore County to attend his alma mater.
Since then, Henderson has put $10,000 into the fund every year, a gift matched by the Apache Corporation, an oil and gas company for which Henderson has done consulting work.
The scholarship awards between $500 and $5,000 annually and is intended to supplement financial aid.
To be considered eligible, applicants must be U.S. citizens and residents of Leflore County who demonstrate financial need.
Additionally, applicants must be high school seniors or graduates with grade point averages of 2.5 or better and must have filed a Student Aid Report or Free Application for Federal Student Service.
Henderson says the ideal applicant is well-rounded between academic and extracurricular pursuits and has an established record of community service.
Henderson graduated from Amanda Elzy High School in 1973 and was encouraged to apply to Langston by a former Elzy band director, Beray Thigpen.
Thigpen was hired by Langston to revitalize its marching band program and recruited students from Leflore County. Henderson estimates nearly 50 went to Oklahoma.
“Many returned to Mississippi and had successful careers,” said Henderson. “I’d like for somebody else from my home county to have the same opportunities that I did.”
Applications will be available in February and due by March 31.
Applications must include an official transcript, an acceptance letter from Langston, one personal and two academic recommendations and a one-page essay outlining the applicant’s education and career objectives.
Henderson said he plans to visit schools throughout Leflore County with recruiters from Langston later in the year.
•Contact Nick Rogers at 581-7235 or nrogers@gwcommonwealth.com.
