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Cathedral Scholars

We each have God-given abilities that need to be nurtured and developed, and education is one of the most powerful ways that we can thrive. The Cathedral Scholars program aims to provide financial, vocational, communal, and spiritual support to members of the Cathedral of St. Philip's community who seek to further their educational goals. The Cathedral's community is far-reaching and includes members of the Cathedral parish, Cathedral staff and their immediate family members, and the larger Cathedral community, including its many parochial entities.

DONATE TO THE CATHEDRAL SCHOLARS FUND

Read letters from the scholars

Cathedral Scholars Endowment

Thanks to the generosity of so many parishioners, these young women and men, who otherwise would not be able to attend college, will be attending with the help of a scholarship from the Cathedral. The endowment enables the Cathedral to offer long-term holistic support to these deserving scholars. Your contribution to the Cathedral Scholars Endowment can be matched dollar for dollar and will ensure support for this program for years to come. Please contact David Rocchio, drocchio@cathedralATL.org, to contribute to the Cathedral Scholars Endowment.

What does it mean to be a Cathedral Scholar?

  • Financial Support: We are accepting requests up to $5,000 per year for tuition, books, required equipment/supplies, and other expenses at an accredited college, university, or trade school, undergraduate or graduate studies. Awards will be paid directly to the designated academic institution. Requests outside this scope may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

  • Vocational, Communal, and Spiritual Support: A supportive community is integral to education success.
    • Each scholar will have an assigned committee liaison who will be the scholar’s primary contact throughout their educational experience. In addition to providing support and prayers for the scholar, this liaison can connect the scholar with Cathedral parishioners who may serve as vocational resources.
    • Each summer, the current scholars will gather for an in-person networking event with scholar alumni, the Cathedral Scholars Committee, and supporters of the program.
    • Scholars are prayed for regularly in the Prayers of the People at the Cathedral.

Application Process

  • Timeline: Scholarships are awarded annually on a need basis.
    • Applications may be submitted between February 1 and April 1 for the following academic year. 
    • Awards will be granted by June 30. 
  • Criteria: All applications will be considered, with preference given to those with direct Cathedral affiliation Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply based on the following criteria:
    • Financial need: Combined annual gross income of applicant or the applicant’s parents less than $100,000
    • Student character: integrity, responsibility, and kindness
    • Academic performance: Include grade point average and rigor of courses
    • Extracurricular activities: school, church, community activities and after-school/summer employment
  • Application: Please note, the following are required to apply or reapply:
    • New Student Applicants:
      • Completed new applicants form (see link below)
      • Cover letter composed by the applicant including 250-500 word personal statement (Tell us who you are!)
      • Current school transcript
      • A head shot photo of the applicant
      • One letter of recommendation addressing the applicant’s character

nEW sTUDENT aPPLICANTS - Click Here to Apply

  • Returning Student Applicants:
    • Completed returning applicants form (see link below)
    • Short letter (addressed to program donors) reporting on your most recent year
    • A copy of your school’s financial aid letter for the upcoming year
    • Current School Transcript

Returning Student Applicants - Click Here to Apply

Meet the 2025-2026 Cathedral Scholars

We celebrate the accomplishments and the promise of these students, and we hope you will support them with your prayers. We also hope you will take advantage of next year’s annual summer barbecue to meet these students in person.

 

Achol Atem

Achol is an immigrant from South Sudan who is currently attending Furman University and expecting to graduate in 2027. She plans to complete a double major in Computer Science and German, with the goal of working as a software engineer after graduation. She loves meeting new people from different backgrounds, is an avid soccer fan, and enjoys playing the ukulele.

 

Edith Baños

Edith is attending Kennesaw State University and expects to graduate in 2028. She loves playing softball and is passionate about singing. Her goal is to serve others, either as an EMT or a nurse.

Jelise Bertrand

Jelise is attending Xavier University of Louisiana and expects to graduate in 2028. She plans to study political science and get into a pre-law-school track. She is also interested in studying psychology.

 

Brianna Burke

Brianna is enrolled at the University of Georgia, where she is pursuing a co-major in Marketing and International Business at the Terry college of Business and expects to graduate in 2028. She has also been active with the Foundation for Hospital Art, where she works with others to paint colorful, vibrant canvases that are then donated to children's hospitals/pediatric units in 195 countries. She is also active in various service and fundraising events in support of the American Cancer Society and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Caitlyn Burke

Caitlyn is a student at Kennesaw State University, with the goal of becoming a labor and delivery nurse. While in school, she has participated in activities to support the American Cancer Society and Breast Cancer Education and Awareness. She expects to graduate in 2028.

Solomon Charles, Jr.

Solomon is majoring in Mechanical Engineering at Alabama A&M University, with an anticipated graduation date of 2030, and possible graduate studies after. In his spare time, he likes to watch movies/tv shows, and “try anything fun that captures my attention.” 

Natalya Cobb

Natalya is attending Howard University with a passion for helping others. She plans to study finance and hopes for a career as a financial advisor and attorney following her expected graduation in 2027. In her free time, she loves to choreograph dances and attend dance workshops, reading, and hanging out with family and friends

Lyncoln Cohen

Lyncoln is attending North Carolina A&T University, where she expects to graduate in 2030. She plans to major in biology and minor in chemistry. Her goal is to become a doctor, focusing on oncology.

Courtney Craft

Courtney is attending the University of Georgia, where she expects to graduate in 2027.  She has always been very involved in sports. Her goal is to eventually achieve a master’s degree in communication and have a career as a political news anchor. 

Rejoice Gama

Rejoice came with her father to the United States from Zambia in 2020 and is currently a student at the University of North Georgia. She expects to graduate in 2029 with a major in Biology and plans to work in the medical field. In her free time, she loves baking, singing, drawing, and hanging out with friends and family.

Ani Hildebrandt

A graduate of Gordon State College, Ani is a student at Candler School of Theology, where she is earning an MDiv degree, with a goal of becoming a pediatric hospital chaplain, and expects to graduate in 2029. Prior to entering Candler, she was a 2nd and 3rd grade teacher. When not in class, she is active at All Saints Episcopal Church, where she has led a Refugee Ministries Team and co-chaired a young adult women’s ministry, St. Hildegard, which seeks to create space for community, formation, and service among women in their 20s and 30s. 

Jackie Johnson

Jackie is majoring in psychology at Georgia State University and expects to graduate in 2030. Her long-term goal is to pursue psychiatry because she has always wanted to be a trusted person that people can talk to, and she would like build upon that by acquiring the skills needed to help people live fuller lives. Her other love is singing.

Kiera Jones

Kiera is a student at the University of Notre Dame and expects to graduate in 2027. She is majoring in Science Pre-Professional Studies and plans to go to Physical Therapy school after graduation. She is very interested in sports and hopes to become a Sports Physical Therapist in the future, working for the NFL or NBA. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and binge-watching movies. 

 

Tylek Jones

Tylek is enrolled at Tennessee State University, where he expects to graduate in 2029. He is majoring in Education and minoring in Elementary Music, with a goal of being an educator after graduation.

 

Kiley King

Kiley is a student at Alabama A&M, where she is studying criminal justice, with a minor in business administration. She expects to graduate in 2030 and ultimately hopes to pursue a law degree.

 

Skyhe Kinney

Skyhe attends North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University and expects to graduate in 2029. One of her great passions is storytelling through film, and her career goal is to become a film editor in the television and movie industry. She hopes to use her creativity and technical skills to bring stories to life, highlight underrepre-sented voices, and create content that sparks meaningful conversation. 

 

Arly Lendos

Arly grew up living between Honduras and the United States and is now a student at Georgia State University, where she is studying Biology and hopes to enter medical school after graduation in 2028. In her free time, Arly and her sisters founded a non-profit to provide school supplies to impoverished students in Honduras. Arly serves as the marketing chair of the organization and, when her schedule allows, travels to Honduras to deliver supplies. 

 

Jimmy Walter Leverette III

Jimmy recently graduated from Kennesaw State University with a bachelor’s degree in sports management. He is currently working on a Master’s program in Teaching at Georgia Southern University and expects to graduate in 2027. His goal is to become a PE teacher, and he would like to start by teaching elementary aged students.

 

Maggie Long

Maggie studied for 3 years at Mercer university before transferring to the University of Georgia, where she expects to graduate in 2026. She is studying marketing. Maggie has been a member of the Cathedral of St. Philip for most of her life.

Aniya Martin

Aniya is enrolled at Howard University and expects to graduate in 2029. Sports have been a big part of her life, especially basketball, a sport in which she excels.

Shkofa Masoomi

Shkofa immigrated with her family from Afghanistan in 2021 and is now attending Georgia State University, where she is studying Biology and expects to graduate in 2029. Her long-term goal is to become a physicians’ assistant specializing in cardiology or cardiac surgery. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, going on walks, exploring nature, reading, and drawing.

Meilyn Motino

Meilyn is a freshman at Georgia State University, where she plans to study psychology. Her long-range plan is to get her Master’s degree in psychology to become a clinical psychologist.


Mosiah Roberts

Mosiah is s student at Georgia State University, where he expects to graduate in 2028. He is studying blockchain development, which is a new era of database development. He is also working full time for Amazon.


Emmierose Scates

A previous Cathedral Scholar as an undergraduate, Emmierose has returned to the University of North Georga to pursue a master’s degree in their program for Family Nurse Practitioner. She expects to receive her MSN-FNP degree in 2028. Her short-term career goal is to provide evidence-based patient-centered care to people of all ages. Her long-term career goal as a FNP is to become a mentor to other nurses. 


Daphne Serrato-Perez

Daphne is a student at Kennesaw State University, where she is pursuing a nursing degree and expects to graduate in 2027. She works part-time at Chick-fil-A and is an active member of the Kennesaw Women’s Soccer Club.

Samirawit Tsegay

Samirawit is a student at Augusta University where she is majoring in Biology and expects to graduate in 2028. Ever since she was a little girl growing up in Ethiopia, she wanted a career helping people and decided on a career in medicine after losing a family member to cancer. In her free time, she enjoys reading and painting.


Rachel Tuymabaze

Rachel came to the United States from Rwanda. When her family immigrated, she was a 5th grader who knew no English, but today is a proud US Citizen enrolled in the nursing program at Georgia State University. She expects to graduate in 2027.


Katrin White

Katrin is a sophomore at the College of the Holy Cross. She has a love for learning, with a passion for physical therapy, and aspires to one day own a physical therapy clinic where she can “merge physical and mental rehabilitation into one, thereby providing holistic reformation of the entire person.”