How to embed diversity in scholarships in a post-affirmative action world

The US Supreme Court recently ruled that race can no longer be considered as a factor in university admissions. The landmark ruling upends decades-old US policies on so-called affirmative action, also known as positive discrimination, originally targeted at increasing the educational and professional opportunities available to historically marginalised communities. 

Due to its nature, affirmative action has been a contentious issue in legal and political circles. Unfortunately, the problems that led to the birth of affirmative action are very much alive. 

This makes it imperative for universities and scholarship managers to explore alternative methods to address issues of inequality and marginalisation. 

Here are some ways your academic institution can embed diversity in scholarships in a post-affirmative action world.          

1. Be clear about your values and goals 

To effectively build diversity, equity and inclusion into your scholarship program, specify your targets and ideals. Make it plain that you hope to achieve equity and fair representation through the scholarship. This definition and announcement serve as a guiding light and ensure that your team is in alignment as you run the scholarship program.

Emphasise that, even in the absence of affirmative action, your commitment to DEI is unwavering. Assert that all applicants will be evaluated fairly and without undue favour. This will build the faith of potential applicants in the scholarship program.    

2. Evaluate your eligibility criteria 

Rigorously assess your scholarship eligibility criteria to ensure it’s broad enough for diverse applicants. This involves recognising the variety of realities applicable to your potential applications. For example, your  eligibility standards could include:  

• Financial need   
• Socioeconomic status
• Disability 
• Unique life experiences
• Geographic location  

Eligibility criteria that factor in varying realities ensure that applicants from historically underrepresented or disadvantaged backgrounds have an equal chance of getting the necessary financial support. However, make sure that your criteria don’t unintentionally exclude certain groups of people from applying.  

3. Adopt a well-rounded review and evaluation process

Another step to building DEI into your scholarship program is to have an expansive application review process. This kind of evaluation assesses the applicants’ holistic suitability for the scholarship by gauging their personal experiences, leadership skills and potential contributions to the university and society along with their academic feats.

To further ensure diversity, equity and inclusion in the scholarship, train your scholarship reviewers in bias training and cultural competence. These can highlight potential pitfalls of prejudices that can creep up.      

4. Harness technology

Using scholarship management software like Good Grants is a good way to ensure that diversity is built into your scholarship program. With such software, applicants can enjoy a seamless and accessible application process. Also, it will reduce any bias during the application review process, thanks to a visible scoring matrix, recusal and retention options for reviewers, and more features that help streamline the entire scholarship program. 

Good Grants also offers the option to run your scholarship program in multiple languages, ideal for accepting applications from different countries.    

5. Promote the scholarship

Raise awareness about the scholarship program in a wide range of communities. To do this effectively, it’s important to implement targeted outreach strategies to get across to underrepresented groups to inform them about the available opportunities. An elaborate campaign plan can involve your website, social media, email marketing and paid ads targeted at a diverse audience

Consider collaborating with institutions and organisations that serve or operate in diverse communities; they’ll help promote the scholarship. These entities could be schools, community-based organisations or advocacy groups. Teaming up with them will improve the chances of the opportunity getting to diverse and talented candidates. 

Helpful, also, is being in sync with your university’s diversity and inclusion office. The synergy will ensure the scholarship efforts dovetail with the university’s overarching DEI endeavours.      

6. Set dynamic and inclusive selection standards

A good way to guarantee diversity in your scholarship is by having flexible yet inclusive selection criteria. Create an application process that is diverse and allows for equity across applicant submissions. For example, you could set up essay questions or ask for video submissions. 

When determining your selection criteria, bear in mind that diversity in your scholarship program means presenting a fair opportunity to all applicants. Avoid getting bogged down with vain metrics that make no real impact.   

7. Focus on communication and support

Clear communication enhances access and equity in scholarship programs. Be transparent about the entire process, criteria and timeline so everyone will understand how the program operates. 

Your communication methods should also demonstrate diversity and inclusion. Use inclusive language in the scholarship promotion materials. The promotion materials should also feature a diverse range of individuals to illustrate your openness to diversity. Your website and documents should be accessible and available for disabled applicants to make sure all receive a fair chance at application. 

It’s important to prioritise supporting the scholarship applicants. Demonstrate your interest in their academic success by providing support and resources.  Scholarship alumni from diverse backgrounds could also serve as mentors for the candidates.  

8. Gather feedback and metrics

The journey towards embedding diversity in scholarships is ever ongoing, particularly in this new post-affirmation action era.  It’s important to continually access and refine your process as necessary. Collect feedback from applicants and successful candidates on their experience and possible improvements to your scholarship program. 

Look out for new practices that help promote diversity in scholarship programs. Experts and dedicated conferences are great sources of insight. Check the demographics of applicants and recipients to regularly track your progress. 

With diversity, equity and inclusion built firmly into your scholarship programs, the marginalisation and underrepresentation in the education sector can be effectively tackled. With affirmative action gone, these practices are reliable ways for universities and their scholarship managers to navigate the new reality.