The NIU Black Alumni Council is offering black students a scholarship award. The Fanny Ruth Patterson Scholarship Award is named in honor of the first black graduate of NIU. Patterson died in 1920 of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Michael Pattrick, president of BAC, said the scholarship is a good way for students to be recognized for their achievements.

“In the past years, few people have applied for this award,” he said.

The scholarship requirements include 70 credit hours of NIU credit and a 2.5 minimum grade point average. Students must obtain a stamped unofficial transcript from Registration and Records.

Pattrick also said students must prove involvement in campus affairs. In order to obtain proof of involvement, students must obtain a letter from the organization’s on-campus adviser.

Also, students must write a 500-word essay about the importance of obtaining a college education.

Students must go online to print out the scholarship application from www.niu.edu/Alumni/BAC_scholarship.shtml. The deadline to turn in the application is Feb. 29