AWARDS
Two winners will be chosen -- one male and one female. Both winners will receive a cash reward, an optional referral to Google and a special appreciation gift for participating in the scholarship.
Cash Reward
We are offering up to $1,000 cash per student.
Google Referral
Google offers tons of competitive career and internship opportunities spanning a wide variety of business areas and skill disciplines. Should the winner(s) express an interest in being considered for a role, a Google referral will be provided.
Special Gift
Only winners will get more details!
About
What is the snell scholarship?
Purpose
This scholarship has been developed in an effort to further promote formal, post-secondary education with a specific focus in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
As a graduate of a privately-funded, minority-serving science program, I understand how much even the smallest of financial or mentorial contributions can mean. Matriculating through these rigorous programs is hardly ever easy, and support in all forms is typically appreciated and remembered forever.
With that said, through SSF I would like to use my newfound ability to now “pay it forward,” to hopefully inspire a new generation of students who have the potential to change the world.
The main goals of the scholarship are to provide:
- Peer mentorship
- Financial support
- Industry connections & opportunities
Meet The Founder
Mr. Donnell Debnam Jr. is a Prince George’s County native from Largo, Maryland. He attended and graduated from Largo High School in 2017 and is also a graduate of Hampton University, where he attained a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Computer Science.
Like many others, Donnell graduated high school with no plan to continue studying due to poor grades and a lack of preparation, where he found himself desperately applying to various collegiate programs once reality had sunken in. Following high school, Donnell enrolled in a probationary summer program at Hampton, where he’d study on campus for two months and depending on his performance, could get admitted into the university as a full-time student. After deep consideration, he accepted the challenge in 2017 and never looked back.
Despite having no coding experience prior to college, Donnell propelled through the computer science curriculum and went on to complete two internships with Google as a Software Engineer in the Los Angeles and Mountain View offices. in Califorinia. Returning back to campus after each summer, Donnell used these experiences as well as the chip on his shoulder from being a probationary admittance to motivate his peers on campus by hosting interview prep sessions, tech workshops, tech talks, resumè reviews and more.
Upon receiving his degree in May 2021, Donnell began his career as a full-time software engineer at Google in their Chelsea, NYC office, working on the Google Home App, where he develops new features to improve smart-home experience for Android users. He's worked on building media controllers (eg. virtual remotes), Google Nest doorbell notifications, Pixel Tablet setup experiences, and presence-sensing features for Pixel Tablet. He now works on Automations within the Google Home App for Android.
Donnell Debnam Jr.
Founder
I know how it feels to not have a scholarship. I know how it feels to have no financial support or a job to provide for myself as a full-time student. If this scholarship can impact at least one student and assist them with their finances or studies, then mission accomplished.
Janci Finkley
2022 Snell Sholar (Cohort 1)
CS @ Morehouse College, c/o '25
The Snell Scholarship Foundation came at the perfect time! This stem opportunity and scholarship connected me with Googlers, software engineers and just overall great professionals. It felt good to be recognized for pursuing stem. Definitely apply!
Application
Eligibility
The applicant must meet the following requirements:
- Computer science, engineering, or IT-related major
- 2.5+ weighted GPA
- Undergraduate student
Timeline
The following timeline will be followed for the program:
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Applications open | September 16, 2024 (12:00 AM EST) |
| Applications close | December 31, 2024 (11:59 PM EST) |
| Results sent out | Mid February |
Apply
Applications can be found at snellscholars.org/apply or at https://forms.gle/qYabhPbGbE7MCV4LA.
Learn
Learn to code with us!
Check out our all-new Beginner's Computer Programming Guide!
This is a free, comprehensive guide in which we've consolidated all of the general, most important computing concepts into a short and sweet resource. Within this guide you can also find ways to get started with programming and some areas of interest to dive into.
This guide is language-agnostic, meaning it doesn't focus on any one particular language, as the purpose is to teach beginners about general programming constructs to build a skillset that will apply to just about any language.
Contact
Contact Us