Wade
Scholarship
Program
YOUR TALENT,
YOUR OPPORTUNITY
Who are WSP Scholars?
The Wade Scholarship Program is a magnet for exceptional talent. We aim to address the underrepresentation of individuals from economically disadvantaged backgrounds in STEM. We seek scholars who aspire to become multidisciplinary leaders, driven to collaborate, innovate, and communicate in solving complex challenges facing society.
We are providing scholarships to Wade Scholars who are admitted to an engineering master’s degree program within the Top 30 US graduate schools of engineering based on the US News & World Report ranking and HBCUs with graduate engineering programs.
Who are we looking for?
We seek applicants already residing in the U.S. who hold a bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline from an accredited college or university in the U.S. or abroad and are motivated to pursue a master’s degree in engineering. We are especially interested in individuals from economically disadvantaged backgrounds that includes:
- Income per capita
- Family net worth
- Child school enrollment
- Adult school attainment
- High School Performance
- Basic-standard drinking water
- Basic-standard sanitation
- Electricity
- Coverage of key health services
- Malnourishment (child)
- Incidence of crime
- Incidence of natural disaster
Note: we are not able to help students to gain visas to enter the USA.
What does the scholarship cover?
Scholars receive funding for master’s-level coursework (3.3 semesters if on the semester system, or 5 quarters if on the quarter system). The scholarships pay the cost of tuition, on campus housing, a food allowance, instructional supplies, other academic expenses, as specified on the school’s website. The maximum award is $50,000 per student.
What is the WSP Criteria?
The following factors are considered holistically by the scholarship selection team at WSP.
Upon admission to your chosen university, and selection as a WSP recipient, you will be offered financial support.
A WSP scholar will have:
1. Independence of Thought:
- Exhibits first-step mental sharpness
- Seeks out knowledge and new experiences
- Full of original ideas
- Makes sense of ambiguity
- Can hold a contrarian or dissenting point of view
- Intellectual curiosity
2. Purposeful Leadership Qualities:
- Driven to self-improvement
- Capacity to bring others along
- Self-awareness Persistent and resilient
3. Civic Mindset: Humble and kind
- Supportive and accountable
- Embraces differences
- Concerned for and helpful to others
- Undergraduate Achievements:
- Evidence of extracurricular activities
- Compelling letters of recommendation
- Compelling Statement of Purpose
Currently the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not required for most disciplines. If you have taken the GRE previously, you have the option to submit the results.
The Top US universities are competitive schools. We encourage students with the highest levels of undergraduate success to apply.
When is the scholarship application deadline?
Our deadlines for the Fall (Autumn) 2026 academic year are the same as the deadlines for applicants’ selected school and discipline but not later than January 20, 2026. Applicants are requested to check their selected school’s website for deadlines. Applicants are encouraged to apply to more than one graduate school, if possible.
As part of the application process for the Wade Scholarship Program, applicants will be asked to upload a copy of the application they submitted to at least one of the universities they applied to.
Scholarship awards will be announced on May 1, 2026.
What is WIT and why are you sponsoring scholarships?
The Wade Institute of Technology (WIT) is a new STEM college in organization based in Palo Alto. WIT is being organized by Minority Television Project Inc. (MTP), a 35-year-old noncommercial educational entity. MTP owns and operates KMTP-TV 33, a public television station licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to serve the San Francisco Bay Area. Our graduate scholarship funding has been provided by MTP which seeks to make transformative changes in the technology ecosystem.
Who are the WIT principals?
WIT founders and directors are concerned about the low representation of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds at top U.S. graduate engineering schools. We are committed to supporting these students by alleviating financial barriers as they pursue their academic and career goals.
The WIT principal adviser is Thomas Ehrlich, former Dean of Stanford Law School; Provost of University of Pennsylvania; and President of Indiana University. He also was a member of the Board of Trustees of Bennett College. Currently he is an Adjunct Professor at Stanford Graduate School of Education.
Our founders, directors, and officers are:
- Herb Anderson, Chair
- Jawara Lumumba, Vice Chair
- YoungSu Yoo, Secretary
- Lorna Jones, Director
- Gwendolyn May, Director
- Barbara Wade, Director
- Kyla Talley, Director
- Daryl Harris Sr., Director
- Booker T, Wade Jr., Executive Director
- Dianne Millner, General Counsel
