Woodford R. Porter Scholarship

The Woodford R. Porter Scholarship has historically been awarded to Black/African American students who are residents of Kentucky or Clark, Crawford, Floyd, Harrison, Perry, Scott, and Washington counties in Indiana. We consider admitted students who have at least a 3.0 weighted grade point average, and demonstrate strong leadership and extracurricular involvement and have a commitment to social justice, diversity and inclusion.

The scholarship was created in 1984 to award students who meet the academic requirements and exhibit a strong aspiration to succeed and give back to the community. It was named after the former trustee, the late Woodford R. Porter. Mr. Porter was known for his dedication to strong advocacy for education in Jefferson County. He famously said "education is the great equalizer," as he believed it to be the ultimate path towards self and collective improvement. In 1986, the Woodford R. Porter Scholarship Society was created to provide support and encouragement for students awarded the scholarship.

To Apply

Students wishing to apply for this scholarship must submit an application admission to the University of Louisville by December 15Students who are eligible to apply for this scholarship will find their next steps in their UofL Application Gateway soon after they apply to UofL (whether they applied to UofL with or without test scores). 


A complete Woodford R. Porter scholarship application includes:

  • One essay (700-1,000 words) outlining your thoughts on one of the following prompts:

1: UofL is dedicated to becoming a premier anti-racist community. What does being an anti-racist institution mean to you? When evaluating this construct, how will you contribute to UofL’s anti-racist mission?

2: Social justice and community service are key elements of being a student at UofL. What is your understanding of social justice and what significance does it hold for you? If you were given the opportunity to develop and implement a social justice themed project, what would you be interested in pursuing for this project? Why?

 

If you have questions about the Fall 2024 scholarship application, please email  with "Scholarships" in the subject line.

Students with a demonstrated commitment to social justice, community service and UofL’s mission to to pursue excellence and inclusiveness are encouraged to apply. Open to all eligible students regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age.  All applicants must also meet the Kentucky and Southern Indiana residency requirement in addition to the 3.0 cumulative high school GPA requirement.  Contact your admissions counselor to have the Porter Scholarship application added to your New Cards Gateway.