The Jocelyn B. Steelman Memorial Scholarship
Jocelyn Bess Steelman was a kind, gentle and compassionate woman, loving and proud wife and mother, dedicated daughter (in-law), sister (in-law), aunt and friend, brilliant business mind, zealous humanitarian, and a pillar of her community.
A native New Yorker, she embodied creative thought, integrity, and wisdom. She studied economics and art history at Washington University in St. Louis where she met her devoted husband Elliot. She moved to New York City after college, and began a multi-decade career at Moody’s where she ascended to General-Manager-Product Strategy. Jocelyn was deeply admired at Moody's for her devotion to her colleagues and her ability to solve challenging issues. She was a founder of the Women's Business Resource Group at Moody's and a mentor to many during her long career. She was a leader among leaders. Jocelyn's most prized title was that of mom to her two boys. She loved her boys and loved raising them in New York City.
Jocelyn believed in the value of kindness, perseverance, drive and grit. She also believed in opening doors to educational opportunities and in the importance of helping others. As such, Jocelyn was a supporter of many charitable causes, including Billion Oyster Project. As a dedicated supporter and wife of long-standing Board Member, Elliot Steelman, Jocelyn helped raise awareness and affinity for New York Harbor while supporting education opportunities for countless New York City students.
An important part of our work at Billion Oyster Project is increasing waterfront access and hands-on learning opportunities for New York City students — merit and need-based financial support are no exception to that effort. This spring, we are proud to announce and administer the Jocelyn B. Steelman Memorial Scholarship.
Support the living memorial scholarship to honor the life and work of Jocelyn Steelman
To support this Scholarship, Billion Oyster Project is endowing a charitable fund, “The Fund”, which will accept charitable donations to form the Funds’ endowment. All donations received by the Fund will be 100% tax deductible as a charitable gift to the organization in support of the Jocelyn B. Steelman Memorial Scholarship.
Prefer to pay by check?
Please make checks payable to: Billion Oyster Project | 10 South Street, Slip 7, New York NY 10004
In memo line, please write “Jocelyn B. Steelman Memorial Scholarship”
Billion Oyster Project, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) organization. Tax ID: 27-2918478
About the Scholarship
The Jocelyn B. Steelman Memorial Scholarship is dedicated to supporting educational opportunities to those exceptional New York City graduating seniors who portray the qualities of love for their fellow humans, environment and city, profound commitment to their community, inquisitive and creative thought, exceptional leadership, and academic excellence. With this scholarship, we are assisting leaders of tomorrow with the opportunity to pursue their educational goals.
The scholarship is a one-time $15,000 award given to a New York City high school senior in one of the five boroughs selected by the Scholarship Review Committee who meets the eligibility requirements and best exemplifies the scholarship’s core values and character traits embodied by Jocelyn. This award is both merit and need based.
All applications are due June 15, 2024, and will be reviewed by the Scholarship Review Committee, made up of the leadership of Billion Oyster Project, members of Jocelyn’s family, friends and wider world of connections. A select group of finalists will be notified of their advancement by or before July 15. The Committee and Billion Oyster Project Leadership will then choose the annual award recipient by August 15.
The Jocelyn B. Steelman Scholarship funds are intended to assist with direct school related expenses such as tuition, fees, books, and room and board. The one-time award will be issued to awardees or their educational institutions for deposit in respective school accounts. Awardees agree to deposit the scholarship funds within six-months of the award.
Billion Oyster Project shall invest the assets and expend the income and appreciation of the Fund prudently according to the investment and spending policies established by its Board of Directors and strictly pursuant to the Board's fiduciary obligations under New York law. The Fund must at all times be invested prudently using the following priorities in the order listed as a guide: (a) preservation of the Fund endowment, (b) earning income to support the purposes for which the Fund is established and (c) protection from inflation. The assessment of charges to support investment and administrative costs will be made against the income of the Fund in future years.
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