Former Tidewater Gardens resident and honor student Jamiyah Davis was awarded a $2,000 scholarship at the 2025 Virginia Association of Housing and Community Development Officials (VAHCDO) Scholarship Luncheon March 31.
“I’m extremely grateful to receive it,” said Davis during her acceptance speech in which she repeatedly thanked the scholarship committee. “And I’m glad I took the necessary steps to ensure I made a good impression.”
Davis, a current Booker T. Washington High School senior, is the first VAHCDO scholarship recipient from the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority (NRHA) in recent years. She is a student in the school’s Academy of Arts and is a member of the gospel choir. Davis is ranked sixth in her class with a 3.9 GPA and plans to attend Hampton University (HU) in the fall.
“This scholarship puts me one step closer to getting my degree and achieving my career goal of being a criminal profiler,” Davis said.
Wanda Daniel, the VAHCDO scholarship committee chairperson and Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority program manager, said there was a total of $12,500 awarded to this year’s VAHCDO scholarship recipients. In distributing funding, the organization aimed to alleviate the financial strain of student loan debt, Daniel said, evoking applause from the luncheon attendees who included parents, counselors, housing authority officials and community members.
There were 20 total applicants from housing authorities across Virginia. The scholarship committee narrowed the pool down to eight interviewees, after which five were selected.
Davis remembers the application process, which included a virtual interview, as both nerve-wracking, rewarding and worth it all.
“Just be your true self and be as authentic as you can be – more than likely that’ll get you in the door,” she said.
The other four scholarship recipients are Tainijua Dewberry and Jeremiah White of Newport News and Leon Davis III and Shyne Farrior of Richmond. The group had an average GPA of 3.975 and all plan to attend a college or university in Virginia. Applications were reserved for students within families who are current public housing residents or Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) participants.
Dyshayla Davis, the scholarship luncheon’s keynote speaker and a 2024 VAHCDO scholarship recipient, offered advice to the rising college students.
“College is an incredible journey of growth and self-discovery. You’ll face challenges but those challenges come with opportunities to learn and thrive. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone,” she said. “Join clubs, get involved and make the most of your time. The friendship and experiences and skills you will gain in the next few years will shape who you are and who you’ll become. Remember to stay focused, stay true to yourself and never underestimate the power of community.”
NRHA Executive Director Nathan Simms introduced Jamiyah Davis and applauded her, and all the recipients, on their academic success.
“Scholarships are important for a lot of different folks across the country — not just in our communities. Going to college could be a barrier, cost is a barrier and access to resources is a barrier. So, for the students here today to be supported it’s a removal of barriers and also an opportunity to have additional backing,” Simms said. he said.” “You see how all of the authorities have rallied around all of the winners – not just the respective winner from their community – and I think that that’s even bigger in terms of the amount of additional resources, support and institutional knowledge that’s available to them.”
For more information about the VAHCDO Scholarship application process or to donate to the scholarship fund, go to VAHCDO – Scholarships.
For More Information About This Story Contact dcuenca@nrha.us