La Plata, Maryland – When Destiny Morgan ’15, of La Plata, was looking for a flexible and affordable option to continue her education, she turned to College of Southern Maryland (CSM) and got all the support she needed, and more. Now an IT business owner is making the payment to other CSM students who may need financial assistance by offering the newly created Kuinua Together Scholarship.
“kuinua” is a Swahili word that means “to uplift,” Morgan explained, and that is exactly what her scholarship aims to accomplish: uplifting students, especially students of color, who might not otherwise have access to a technology career. The scholarship was established last spring and its first awards were distributed this fall.
“As an African American, I often think about how hard people fight for my ability to go to school,” Morgan said. “My mother is my biggest inspiration, and she taught me that each generation should be better than the last. I created a scholarship at every school I've ever attended because I wanted to make it more accessible for students of color to get into technology. Technology is a field unlike any other. There are a lot of people like me in it, and I hope to show others that they can do it too.
After earning her associate's degree in general studies at CSM, Morgan joined the Army, then completed her undergraduate degree in communications at the University of Maryland's Global Campus. Earlier this year, she earned a master's degree in management and leadership with a focus in information technology from Western Governors University. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Artificial Intelligence at Capitol University of Technology while living in La Plata and running her own IT company, Kuinua Tech, with her two co-workers, Inferno and Azula, by her side.
Morgan said she was inspired to start her own company to provide men and women of color interested in IT with opportunities in the field and find ways to give back to the community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kuinua Tech was able to distribute laptops to students in need in Maryland and New York.
Monique Reed, the first recipient of the Kuinua Together Scholarship, said her “hopes are brighter” as a result of the scholarship. Reed, who aims to work at NASA, recently completed a summer internship with the National Security Agency working on artificial intelligence, earned two IT certifications, and plans more. In 2022, Reed was also recognized as one of the top 50 student hackers in the world.
“CSM allowed me to be part of the scholarship selection process, and it was helpful to have the opportunity to read the applications and see who would benefit most,” Morgan said. “I definitely saw myself in the student we selected, who was going through a tough time and needed a break.”
To be eligible for the scholarship, students must possess and maintain a 3.2 GPA, and hold an associate's degree in information systems, computer science, or cybersecurity and information technology; They are an underrepresented minority in their field of study.
“The Kuinua Together Scholarship beautifully connects the past, present and future success of CSM students while providing meaningful support to students who are underrepresented in their fields and challenged to achieve their goals,” said Tony Kruszka ’11, acting executive director of the CSM Foundation. “We are proud to have Destiny as an alumnus and partner in providing a pathway to student achievement.”
The Kuinua Together Scholarship is administered by the CSM Foundation. Over the past five years, the Foundation has awarded an average of more than 600 scholarships per year for a total value of more than $4 million. Donors can establish their own scholarship fund for as little as $1,000 or donate to one of dozens of existing scholarships, including Kuinua Together, at https://www.csmd.edu/foundation/give/index.html.
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