Meet Our Scholarship Coaches
Our coaches are proven scholarship winners who have each secured a minimum of $100,000 in scholarships and gained acceptance to top colleges and universities.
Gracie S.
$174K Scholarship Winner | UC Berkeley
Scholarships:
$174,000+
Institutions:
UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Davis, Emory University
Expertise:
Pre-med, health sciences, scholarships, essay strategy
Gracie is a dedicated Scholarship Coach who secured millions of dollars in scholarships and grants, earning her a debt-free education at UC Berkeley. She empowers students to own their stories and submit winning applicationswith clarity and confidence. Gracie leads programming for BOOST@BerkeleyHaas, where she recently coached a cohort of 30 students who collectively secured over $980,000 in private scholarship funding under her leadership.
Fatima P.
$323K Scholarship Winner | UC Berkeley
Scholarships:
$323,000+
Institutions:
UC Berkeley, UC Merced, UC Santa Barbara, UC Davis, Loyola Marymount University, University of San Francisco, Dominican University of California, Sonoma State, Stanislaus State, San Jose State University.
Expertise:
First-gen students, merit aid
Fatima is a scholarship coach at Securing Degrees and a student at UC Berkeley. As a first-generation college student, she understands firsthand how scholarships can transform access to education. By strategically targeting scholarships aligned with her profile and crafting compelling applications.
Zion R.
$370K Scholarship Winner | Emory University
Scholarships:
$370,000+
Institutions:
University of Wisconsin, Howard University, Purdue University, Hampton University, University of Southern California, Xavier University.
Expertise:
Debt-free graduate degrees, Big 4 consulting, Scholarships, Leadership, Time Management
Zion is a scholarship coach and MBA candidate at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. Raised on the South Side of Chicago, he learned early how important scholarships are in making college affordable. By breaking the process into clear, repeatable steps, Zion earned multiple full-ride offers, including a full scholarship to Emory. Before business school, Zion worked as a management consultant at Accenture and has mentored students through organizations like iMentor and KIPP. As a coach with Securing Degrees, he helps students find the right scholarships, craft authentic essays, and build systems to stay organized and confident throughout the process.
Kya J.
$100K+ Scholarship Winner | Hampton University
Scholarships:
$100K+
Institutions:
Hampton University, North Carolina A&T State University, Valdosta State University, Wingate University, and the University of Oklahoma for graduate study.
Expertise:
HBCU experience, Graduate studies, Human Resources, Time Management, Divine 9 experience
Kya Jones is a scholarship coach and graduate student who knows firsthand how to stack multiple awards and maximize financial aid packages. Throughout her higher education, she navigated both HBCUs and predominantly white institutions, securing merit-based, leadership, and service scholarships that reduced her college costs significantly. By understanding how to position herself across different scholarship categories, Kya built a funding strategy that covered tuition, books, and living expenses.
Lisa B.
$225K+ Scholarship Winner | The Ohio State University
Scholarships:
$225K+
Institutions:
The Ohio State University, Emory University, University of Georgia, Georgia State University, Korea University, and Universidad de Granada.
Expertise:
Questbridge Scholarship, Merit-based scholarships, Marketing, Study abroad
Lisa Brown is a scholarship coach and Ohio State University graduate who secured one of the nation's most prestigious merit scholarships. As a Morrill Scholar—a highly competitive, full-ride leadership award—Lisa learned how to translate her lived experiences into powerful narratives that resonated with selection committees. Her success didn't stop there: she also earned a QuestBridge Finalist distinction, placing her among fewer than 30% of over 25,000 applicants nationwide, and received the National Gilman Scholarship for international study.
Azeb P.
$100K+ Scholarship Winner | Spelman University
Scholarships:
$135K+
Institutions:
Spelman College, American University, Clark Atlanta University, and Old Dominion University
Expertise:
HBCU experience, Graduate School, Law, Divine 9 experience
Azeb is a dedicated Scholarship Coach who secured over $133,500 in scholarships and grants, enabling her to earn a debt-free education at Spelman College. She empowers students to own their stories and submit winning applications with clarity and confidence.
Azeb graduated from Spelman College with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and went on to earn her Master's degree in Public Policy and Public Administration. With professional experience as a paralegal across bankruptcy, criminal defense, and personal injury law, she brings sharp research skills and attention to detail to every application.
