Stratagon, Motivational Foundation award inaugural HBCU scholarships

Stratagon and The Motivational Foundation have named the first three recipients of the Possibility Forward Scholarship, each receiving $1,000 after taking part in TMF’s 2026 HBCU Tour Initiative. The awards mark the latest step in a partnership aimed at expanding college access, student insight and support for scholars pursuing higher education.

Why it matters: - The scholarship turns a research and exposure partnership into direct financial support for students. - The program is aimed at scholars who have already engaged with HBCUs and are deciding where to enroll next. - Stratagon and The Motivational Foundation say the effort is meant to widen access, strengthen student confidence and support educational pathways.

What happened: - Stratagon and The Motivational Foundation announced three inaugural Possibility Forward Scholarship recipients. - Each recipient will receive a $1,000 award. - The recipients participated in TMF’s 2026 Historically Black Colleges and Universities Tour Initiative. - The scholarships were announced in High Point, North Carolina.

The details: - Jaeta Green plans to attend the University of Michigan-Flint and later transfer to the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor to study psychology. - Green is interested in mental and public health and hopes to gain early work experience through job shadowing or healthcare employment. - Autumn Eubanks plans to attend the University of Michigan-Flint to study criminal justice before transferring to Grambling State University. - Eubanks wants to become a criminal law attorney and use her education to support justice and advocacy in her community. - Alannah Gray plans to attend Prairie View A&M University and major in kinesiology on the pre-physician assistant track. - Gray wants to become a physician assistant and serve underserved communities with compassionate care. - During the 2026 HBCU tour season, Stratagon served as a research and learning partner. - Stratagon designed and administered pre- and post-tour surveys to measure how campus visits affected awareness of HBCUs, understanding of admissions, college readiness, confidence and enrollment decisions. - The survey results were turned into an impact report for TMF. - TMF can use the report to strengthen program evaluation, donor communications, stakeholder communications and future planning. - Stratagon said the partnership also gave the firm direct insight from prospective college students that can inform its higher education work. - Scholarship applications asked students to reflect on their HBCU tour experiences, goals and how financial support could help them. - A scholarship review committee anonymized the applications and evaluated them through a standardized ranking process. - Ryan Burkett, Stratagon co-founder and senior partner, said the partnership gave the company a chance to listen to scholars, learn from their experiences and invest in their next steps. - Burkett said Stratagon is proud to support Jaeta Green, Autumn Eubanks and Alannah Gray. - Blake E. Odum, president and chief executive officer of The Motivational Foundation, said the partnership helps institutions better understand and serve students by combining data, research and scholarships.

Between the lines: - The scholarship program extends the organizations’ work beyond HBCU exposure and research into direct student aid. - The focus on anonymized review and standardized scoring suggests TMF wanted a structured selection process rather than a subjective awards process. - The impact report gives TMF a way to turn tour feedback into fundraising and planning material. - Stratagon also gets a practical benefit: firsthand student input that can inform its higher education consulting work.

What's next: - The three recipients will begin the next phase of their education with scholarship support in hand. - Stratagon and The Motivational Foundation are positioned to use the research findings and scholarship rollout to shape future partnership work. - TMF said it will continue using HBCU tours, educational programming, partnerships and advocacy to expand access and support student success. - Stratagon said its higher education practice will continue helping colleges and universities with enrollment strategy, student engagement, institutional experience, marketing systems and technology.

The bottom line: - The Possibility Forward Scholarship connects exposure, research and dollars, giving HBCU-touring students a concrete next step toward college access and career goals.