Women Behind the Community (WO-BE-CO), Inc. is a 501 (C) 3 non-profit organization committed to empowering women, children, and families in the Baltimore Metropolitan area. This scholarship honors the life and legacy of the late James M. Griffin, a civil rights and social justice advocate who dedicated his life to ensuring equality in education, housing, and health care.  A founder and owner of his own physical therapy office, he mentored and trained countless physical therapists, encouraging them in their academic and professional pursuits.  As a proud graduate of Dunbar High School, he earned a scholarship for his athleticism to attend Johnson C. Smith University which changed the trajectory of his life. Through his active involvement in Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated (Pi Omega Chapter) he helped establish the Principle Achievers Mentoring Program and enthusiastically mentored African American males from ages 8 to 18. He shared his life lessons in his autobiography (Lessons Learned through the Power of My Journey) to pave the way for others, especially young people to learn from his experiences, encourage them in their pursuit of achieving their academic, career, and personal goals, while at the same time he underscored and modeled the importance of giving back to your community.  To keep Mr. Griffin’s legacy alive, WO-BE-CO endeavors to award a $1,000 (non-renewable) scholarship to an African American male who embodies his values including, high scholastic achievement, compassion, and service to others. The ideal recipient would be interested in pursuing the field of Physical or Occupational Therapy, or other related Allied Health field, and/or plans to attend Johnson C. Smith University, although not required.

• You must be an African American male who is graduating from Mr. Griffin’s alma mater, Dunbar High School, who will be attending a community college, 4 year college/university or trade school, demonstrates financial need, and submits a Resilience Essay.
• The essay should describe the challenges you have overcome at school, home, or in your community and why you want to attend college or trade school.