Robert Gilbert Memorial Endowed Scholarship Application

Step 1Scholarship(s) Applying for

Step 2Confirm Submission

Step 3Finished

Scholarship(s) Applying for

Robert Gilbert Memorial Endowed Scholarship

Are you a first-time or renewing scholarship applicant?

Your Information

First Name

Last Name

Preferred Name

Baylor IDif you've been assigned one.

Permanent Address

Permanent City

Permanent State

Permanent Zip Code

Contact Phoneexample: 123-456-7890

Academic Information

I intend to major in History at Baylor or I am majoring in History at Baylor.

Year at Baylor

Scholarship Information & Response

I have completed a FAFSA or will complete a FAFSA

Please read the text and answer two questions.

Who was Robert Gilbert? Robert Gilbert was born in Waco, Texas, in 1941. He graduated from A.J. Moore High School and attended Paul Quinn College. In 1965, Gilbert enrolled at Baylor, only two years after the university had voted to integrate. To prepare for law school, he majored in History. Gilbert overcame both health-related issues and the daily challenges of being one of the few Black students at Baylor, including feelings of isolation and overt racism from some peers and some faculty. He graduated with a B.A. in History on June 2, 1967, becoming Baylor’s first African American graduate.

Gilbert was the first Black teacher in the all-white Tennyson Middle School in Waco and became the Assistant Director of Upward Bound at Baylor, a program to help low-income students prepare for college, before answering a call to ministry. He pastored several churches in Central Texas and was active in the community as an advocate for civil rights. When he died in 1992, Rev. Robert Gilbert left behind a legacy of faith, service, and justice-seeking activism. His perseverance, love for learning, and willingness to confront injustice are inspirational.

Eligibility for & Purpose of Gilbert Scholarship: “The Fund shall be a permanent endowment and shall be used for the benefit of College of Arts & Sciences. The University Scholarship Committee, in consultation with the Chair of the History Department, shall award scholarships from the earnings distributed from the endowment to deserving students attending Baylor University, Waco, Texas, with preference given to underrepresented students, who are pursuing a major in history, and come from diverse communities and backgrounds historically underrepresented at Baylor University, including low-income and first generation. This scholarship may only be awarded to freshman and sophomore students. The committee shall award each scholarship on the basis of merit and need.”

After reflecting on Rev. Robert Gilbert’s experiences as a trailblazer and justice-seeker and after reading the eligibility requirements for the scholarship, please use the space below to tell us why you would make an excellent recipient of this award. Be sure to use concrete examples and please limit your response to 200 words.

Take some time to reflect on Rev. Gilbert’s biography, as detailed above. In the space provided, please discuss why you plan to major in History at Baylor. Be sure to include any connections you see between your plans and motivations and Rev. Gilbert’s life and career. Please limit your response to no more than 200 words.