Gwen Richardson is an author, publicist and entrepreneur. As an author, she has eight published books, seven non-fiction and one fiction. 101 Scholarship Applications: What It Takes to Obtain a Debt-Free College Education was nominated for a 2015 NAACP Image Award. Another book, You Are Wonderfully Made: 12 Life-Changing Principles for Teen Girls to Embrace, which she co-authored with her daughter, Sylvia, was nominated for a 2016 NAACP Image Award.
Ms. Richardson’s daughter attended North Carolina Central University (NCCU), an HBCU, for four years as an accounting major and graduated in May 2018 entirely debt-free. The cost of her daughter’s education–$30,000 per year including out-of-state fees–was financed entirely with scholarships and grants.
Ms. Richardson began researching scholarship opportunities when her daughter was a sophomore in high school. As a result, her daughter entered NCCU debt-free as a freshman. The author’s research culminated in the creation of the first edition of the book, which was published in September 2014. A revised edition of the book is published in January of every year.
The highlight of the book is a comprehensive listing of almost 300 scholarship sources, including award amounts, eligibility requirements, and direct website links. The book is available on Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle formats, and autographed copies may be obtained via the author’s website, www.gwenrichardson.com.
Ms. Richardson is a frequent speaker and advocate for debt-free college and periodically hosts seminars on this topic.
From January to April 2018, Ms. Richardson hosted a 12-week series of Monday evening live, 15-minute Facebook chats that covered topics related to debt-free college and the scholarship process. She now hosts monthly chats to update viewers regarding new scholarship and internship opportunities. The video chats and other information about scholarship opportunities are posted on her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/debtfreecollegebook/
Gwen is a native of Newport News, Va., She resides in Houston with her husband, Willie, and their daughter, Sylvia. She is a graduate of Georgetown University with a B.S. degree in marketing.