Regions Bank helping students turn inspiration into education with this essay contest

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Birmingham, Alabama, Regions Bank, scholoraship, student
Image via Betsy Weldy for Regions

Who inspires you? Who motivates you to reach higher and achieve your dreams? If you’re a high school senior or a college student, you can turn your inspiration into education. Regions Bank is awarding scholarships for top essays that highlight inspirational African-Americans.

Birmingham, Alabama, Bryan Stevenson, Regions, Black History Month, slave, lynching, attorney
Bryan Stevenson, via Charleston Post and Courier

Essays can focus on national figures, local leaders or a lesser-known member of your community.

Now in its seventh year, the Regions Riding Forward Scholarship Essay Contest has awarded more than $764,000 to students who have written moving, powerful essays about inspirational African-Americans.

Birmingham, Alabama, Regions
Via Betsy Weldy for Regions

The contest is open to high school seniors as well as college freshmen, sophomores and juniors.

Your Inspiration Could Help Pay For College

Scholarships are granted in the amounts of $5,000 for high school winners and $3,500 for college winners. Essays should be 500 words.

Birmingham, Alabama, Bryan Stevenson, Black History Month, Regions
Bryan Stevenson in Vanity Fair, via College of the Holy Cross
Apply Now! Start Writing!

Applications will be accepted from students who live or attend college in any of the 15 states throughout the Southeast, Midwest and Texas, where Regions Bank has branch offices. Submission forms are due by Feb. 28.  You can apply here.

Bryan Stevenson, Birmingham, Alabama
Bryan Stevenson (L) speaking to the media after the release of Anthony Ray Hinton (R) from Jefferson County Jail in Birmingham, Alabama April 3, 2015. Via Christian Today, Reuters.

Last year Tiara D., from Alabama, was one of 30 students awarded scholarship money from Regions. She wrote about the founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative, Bryan Stevenson. Here’s an excerpt from her winning essay (Very inspiring! Take note!)

“Using the Equal Justice Initiative, Stevenson has been able to secure justice for 115 wrongly condemned prisoners on death row. The struggle for freedom for one of his most notable clients, Walter “Johnny Dee” McMillan, is outlined in his award-winning book, ‘Just Mercy’.”

You can read the rest  of her essay here .

Birmingham, Alabama, Black History Month, Regions

“After this year’s winners are selected, more than 200 high school and college students will have benefited from the Regions Riding Forward Essay Contest,” said Michele Elrod, head of Regions Corporate Marketing.

“We’re proud to continue supporting these young scholars and providing an opportunity for them to embrace their own legacies.”

Winners will be announced this summer. More information and complete rules can be found here.

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Via Advertising Age
A Birmingham Business

Regions Bank calls Birmingham home, with its headquarters right here in the Magic City.

With $124 billion in assets, Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE:RF),, is a member of the S&P 500 Index and is one of the nation’s largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, wealth management, mortgage, and insurance products and services.

Regions serves customers across the South, Midwest and Texas, and through its subsidiary, Regions Bank, operates approximately 1,500 banking offices and 1,900 ATMs. Additional information about Regions and its full line of products and services can be found at www.regions.com.

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JHDaniel
JHDaniel
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