The Bronx-based nonprofit Oyate Group has reopened applications for the recently restructured Brandon Hendricks Scholarship for rising first-year college students. The scholarship was built in memory of Brandon Hendricks, a local high school senior who lost his life to a bullet just after his high school graduation and just before he was to go off to study at St. John’s University on a Division I basketball scholarship.
Thomas Ramos, the CEO, founder and president of the organization, previously spent time as the director of a local community center, where he met Brandon Hendricks, who would frequently spend time there. It was from there that they would get to know each other personally.
“He was a rising star,” Ramos said. “He was somebody that people looked up to and admired and he was an inspiration for all that knew him. When he was murdered by senseless gun violence, it devastated the community and devastated myself,” Ramos said.
That summer was when Ramos would start the Brandon Hendricks Scholarship.
“At that time, I was thinking: how can we continue his legacy?” Ramos said. “What can we do to empower young people when they’re heading into college and to lessen the financial burden?”
It is with this objective in mind that the scholarship was recently restructured. Originally, the scholarship was granted to five recipients total who would receive a $5,000 one-time financial contribution to their tuition costs. However, now the scholarship is granted to two recipients who receive $5,000 each semester that they attend college across four years – a total $20,000 contribution to their education costs.
“We wanted to really look at long-term sustainability and impact,” said Ramos. “We believe that this way is more impactful for them.”
Briyant Boakye Frimpong was a high school senior in the Bronx when he was in the middle of looking for scholarships to help alleviate the hefty financial burden of college on himself and his family. He had a impressive range of extracurricular leadership activities to show for — he was captain of his varsity soccer team, student council president, national honor society president and more. His high school guidance counselor advised him to apply for the scholarship.
“It helped me continue with my college journey and, ultimately, lift the financial burden for my family,” said Frimpong.
Frimprog is now a first-year student at Brandeis University, where he intends to study computer science and math in the pursuit of becoming a software engineer.
According to Ramos, each application is passed through a committee of individuals who consider them. This committee consists of members of Brandon Hendrick’s family, including his mother, uncle and his high school coach, in addition to two members of the Oyate Group.
“We look for young people that really want to do something to empower the community,” said Ramos. “Being able to make a long-term difference is something that we really look for in trying to break generational poverty. That’s what stands out to us. I always encourage everyone to apply and give it their best shot.”
The application information and submission portal can be found at oyategroup.org. Applications for the Brandon Hendricks scholarship are open to Bronx-based high school seniors until March 31, 2024.
Arrested on July 6, 2020, Najhim Luke — the man accused of killing Hendricks-Ellison — was later indicted on Sept. 22 that year. After years of a delayed trial, he is yet to be convicted — his most recent court appearance was on Jan. 26, 2024, when a jury remained undecided on a verdict.
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