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Epsilon Phi Zeta
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SCholarship Information
Epsilon Phi Zeta chapter and the Epsilon Phi Zeta Educational Foundation is pleased to offer merit-based scholarships in the amount of $1,000.00 each to high school applicants meeting the eligibility requirements. Additionally, we will award the Nettie Backstrom Memorial Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Scholarship in the amount of $1,500.00 to a high school applicant meeting the HBCU eligibility requirements.
The Nettie Backstrom Memorial HBCU Scholarship is in honor of Soror Nettie Chase Backstrom, a proud HBCU graduate of Houston College for Negroes (now known as Texas Southern University). She wore many hats as a Teacher, Librarian, Counselor, and Educator in the Oakland Unified School District for more than 30 years and possessed a commitment to furthering the educational pursuits of African American students in the Oakland Community. She was a “Finer” woman of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, for 80 years and an active member with Epsilon Phi Zeta Chapter for 70 years until her transition at age 100 in 2020.
The Book Stipend is in honor of Dr. Norma Cole Ayers, an Epsilon Phi Zeta chapter member who achieved Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate degrees as a full-time working mom and single parent. She spent most of her professional career as a Solano County mental health clinician and advocated for mental health initiatives. She was a 25-year legacy Zeta Phi Beta Sorority member, filling the chapter scholarship chair and California state chaplain roles during her tenure before her triumphant transition in 2022.
The Nettie Backstrom Memorial HBCU Scholarship is in honor of Soror Nettie Chase Backstrom, a proud HBCU graduate of Houston College for Negroes (now known as Texas Southern University). She wore many hats as a Teacher, Librarian, Counselor, and Educator in the Oakland Unified School District for more than 30 years and possessed a commitment to furthering the educational pursuits of African American students in the Oakland Community. She was a “Finer” woman of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, for 80 years and an active member with Epsilon Phi Zeta Chapter for 70 years until her transition at age 100 in 2020.
The Book Stipend is in honor of Dr. Norma Cole Ayers, an Epsilon Phi Zeta chapter member who achieved Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate degrees as a full-time working mom and single parent. She spent most of her professional career as a Solano County mental health clinician and advocated for mental health initiatives. She was a 25-year legacy Zeta Phi Beta Sorority member, filling the chapter scholarship chair and California state chaplain roles during her tenure before her triumphant transition in 2022.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must be:
Book Stipend Requirements
- Young women of African or African-American descent.
- Current high school seniors in the East Bay Area.
- Planning to attend a four-year college/university or an HBCU starting in Fall 2025.
- Must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher
- Must be a graduating senior in the Oakland Unified School District
- Must be planning to attend a HBCU
Book Stipend Requirements
- Must have a cumulative GPA of 2.2 or higher
- Can be a current college student
- Preferable-majoring in social work, counseling, psychology, ministerial studies, or a related field
Application REquirements
Applications must be completed online. See section below for the link to the application.
Applicants are required to submit the following with their application:
Applicants will also be required to submit a personal statement addressing the following prompt. The statement must be single-spaced, 12pt font, and 500 words or less.
All documents must be in PDF format, with exception to the headshot, which shall be submitted as JPEG or JPG file.
Please note: there is no option to save your work and return later to complete the application. As such, it is recommended that you prepare the required documents prior to starting the application. Completion of the application may take approximately one (1) hour.
Applicants are required to submit the following with their application:
- Unofficial transcript (which includes senior year first semester grades)
- Statement of Financial Circumstances that qualifies you (HBCU Scholarship ONLY)
- Contact information for persons providing student feedback on your behalf
- A recent headshot (e.g., graduation photo, business/professional headshot, DMV photo)
- Photo Release Form
Applicants will also be required to submit a personal statement addressing the following prompt. The statement must be single-spaced, 12pt font, and 500 words or less.
- "We are the sum total of our life experiences." Please share something significant that makes you the person you are today.
All documents must be in PDF format, with exception to the headshot, which shall be submitted as JPEG or JPG file.
Please note: there is no option to save your work and return later to complete the application. As such, it is recommended that you prepare the required documents prior to starting the application. Completion of the application may take approximately one (1) hour.
Link to APplication
Link to the application: Scholarship Application
Application Deadline
The deadline to submit the application is Friday, March 28, 2025. Applicants may be required to complete an interview for further consideration.
Contact Information
For more information about the scholarship opportunities, please contact Tedra Grogans at [email protected].
To learn more about the Epsilon Phi Zeta Educational Foundation, visit our Foundation page.
To learn more about the Epsilon Phi Zeta Educational Foundation, visit our Foundation page.