Celebrating 5 Years of the Black Leadership Network

The Project

Founded in December 2016, the Black Leadership Network (BLN) is committed to enhancing the educational and leadership opportunities for Black/African American scholars at the University of South Florida. The network has scholarships available for students across all three USF campuses, in all majors. In addition to providing scholarships, BLN members serve as mentor figures and remain available for students looking for other forms of professional support.

The staff, along with volunteers, create educational and engaging learning opportunities for scholars. Members offer their expertise through their own education and experiences in order to support students’ educational endeavors. 

BLN is gaining exceptional momentum, thanks to donor support. To keep the momentum going, we invite you to please join the BLN Student Advisory Board as we champion fundraising efforts and celebrate the fifth anniversary of BLN and the impact it has had in our lives and so many other students!

Who We Are

The Black Leadership Network is a partnership-based group that focuses on engaging the community and enhancing the educational and leadership opportunities for Black/African American scholars at USF through scholarships, professional development, mentoring and programmatic initiatives throughout the university and within the community.

Since inception, BLN has created a familial environment to help scholars succeed. Through professional development workshops and monthly meetings, each recipient has the opportunity to gain skills vital to their success in and outside the classroom. BLN scholars have peer mentors within the program. Peer mentors help new scholars better navigate the college experience. In addition to peer-to-peer mentoring, scholars are paired with BLN donors and community partners who serve as guides through their academic and professional journey.

As we hit the five-year mark, and continue the mission of BLN for future USF students for years to come, we invite you to celebrate this milestone with us, by making a gift today and impacting the life of the next BLN scholar!

Fundraising for this initiative is being championed by the members of the BLN Student Advisory Board and as members of the board, we are honored and excited to establish the five pillars of the network:

• Volunteerism
• Community
• Mentorship
• Leadership
• Philanthropy

The Impact

Your gift can turn dreams into reality! Contributing to BLN will relieve the financial burden of well-deserving Black/African American students and give them the freedom to focus on achieving their collegiate, community and career goals. Your help will assist them in reaching their highest potential as they transform into tomorrow’s leaders. Now is the perfect time to provide financial support to enhance student success programs focused on personal and professional development.

“It is definitely touching to connect with somebody who helps you grow so much, in a short amount of time. It was a great experience. My mentor even offered to refer me for a position in his field after graduation.”- Shaheim Ricketts, BLN scholar

What Your Gifts Will Do

Your partnership will help fund programs that focus on life skills, professional development and mentoring. A gift of any size will create a better student experience and an opportunity for growth in areas such as time management, mentorship establishment, public speaking and goal setting.

Spread the Word

We are counting on your help! Make an even bigger impact by sharing your support of this campaign using the social media tools at the top of this page. 

Thanks for Your Support!

Your gift will empower our scholars to not only grow into tomorrow’s leaders but to thrive in the Tampa Bay community and beyond! We are grateful for your commitment to the Black Leadership Network.