Veterans Upward Bound
L’Salle Harvey Scholarship
L'Salle Harvey Undergraduate Veteran Scholarship
L’Salle Herbert Harvey Jr III
Affectionately known as Sal, was born on November 10, 1983, in Philadelphia PA to Herbert Harvey Jr. and Gwendolyn Harvey. His father was a sole proprietor contracting and rental property owner. L’Salle was one of eight siblings who grew up surrounded by a strong Christian foundation that his parents instilled in their family. Born and raised in Temple University vicinity in north Philadelphia L’Salle attended the Dr. Tanner G. Duckrey Public School and later the Strawberry Mansion Middle / High School. His parents recognized L’Salle’s unique gifts from an early age.
By age two he was building cities with LEGO blocks and by age four he amazed his parents by memorizing car models. He would shout out each model by name while traveling. L’Salle’s childhood development activities would continually reflect milestones that would bring him closer to his passion. At one stage, his parents recalled sitting in their pickup truck having a conversation and his father gave him a bunch of keys to keep him occupied. Within minutes the conversation came to a halt when they noticed L’Salle observing each key. With over 25 keys on the key ring L’Salle chose a Ford pickup key and inserted it in the ignition. To their surprise, he had chosen the correct key amongst multiple identical keys.
L’Salle had developed a passion for learning and pursued interests that set him apart from his peers. At the age of eight L’Salle became fascinated with prehistoric creatures and had an interest in becoming a paleontologist. Later, he shared his desire to cure cancer, firmly believing that “ Anything is possible if you believe. “
As a youth attending Strawberry Mansion High School L’Salle faced challenges with frequent violent incidents that sparked him to choose an equitable self-defensive approach. L’Salle enrolled in karate classes and pursued boxing. His parents decided that L’Salle’s would need a change and a chance to continue his dreams without further interference by enrolling in the JOB CORPS which was where he pursued his military career. L’Salle would embrace his pet cats and other little creatures to relate to their emotional and physical being. At that time his family gave him the nickname “Dr DOLITTLE”, of course this raised eyebrows with concerns. But whatever he saw or felt you could see that those creatures were content with his presence.
L’Salle went on to serve proudly in the United States Army, earning an Honorable Discharge after three years of service. Upon L’Salle’s return home he enrolled in the Veterans Upward Bound program to continue his education and follow his passion for higher learning. Tragically on August 31, 2006 just before VUB graduation, L’Salle’s life was cut short at the age of 21 when he was innocently robbed and fatally shot in his own neighborhood near his high school.
L’Salle’s life, though brief, was filled with promise, vision, and faith. He is remembered as a creative thinker, a compassionate soul who even claimed to understand the feelings of animals, and a young man who dreamed big for himself and for others. His family and loved ones carry his memory as a reminder of his unwavering belief and his favorite motto “Don’t Let Your Situation Change Your Revelation “will forever be quoted in their lives.
It is with great pleasure that the University of Pennsylvania Veterans Upward Bound Program announces its L’Salle Harvey Veteran Scholarship competition.
The award is made in honor of L’Salle Harvey, a former Veterans Upward Bound Program participant, and made possible through a generous donation from his family.
Veterans Upward Bound will be awarding 3 individual scholarships of $1000 each to undergraduate veterans attending school in the Fall of 2025.
Awardees will be presented with a Certificate of Merit at an honors ceremony. Payment of the scholarship will be provided once proof of enrollment and attendance is received for the fall semester. Checks will be made payable to the awardees.
- Must be a veteran of the United States Armed Forces.
- Must have more than 180 days of Active Duty Service, or a service-connected disability.
- Applicants must live in one of the following counties: Philadelphia, PA; Bucks, PA; Chester, PA; Delaware, PA; Montgomery, PA; Burlington, NJ or Camden, NJ.
- The applicant must be admitted to, or currently enrolled in, an institution of postsecondary education, seeking an undergraduate degree.
- Prior to receipt of the award, the award recipient will provide UPenn VUB with verification of actual enrollment in a postsecondary institution.
- All required application materials and supporting documentation must be completed as directed and submitted by March 30th, 2025. **DEADLINE EXTENDED thru August 31st, 2025.**
- Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.
- Applicants can only submit one application each academic year.
Each application will be reviewed and scored by employees of the University of Pennsylvania Veterans Upward Bound program. The three applications with the highest average scores will be awarded.
The application will be scored on the following categories:
Application essay (10 Points)
Each essay will be rated on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest, by multiple readers. The results will be tabulated to determine the awardees, and the names will be submitted to UPenn VUB Director. Essay instructions and criteria can be found in this document.
Activities/achievements (5 Points)
Each applicant will be awarded up to 5 points for activities and achievements including, but not limited to, honors and awards, public service, community involvement, participation in UPenn VUB.
Competitive Preference: Financial need (2 Points)
Each application will be awarded 2 points if they qualify as a low-income individual as determined by the U.S. Department of Education. (https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/trio/incomelevels.html)
Competitive Preference: First generation (2 Points)
Each applicant will be awarded 2 points if they self-identify and attest to being a first-generation college student as defined by the Higher Education Act of 1965. (https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/trio/triohea.pdf)
Competitive Preference: First year (2 Points)
Each applicant will be awarded 2 points if they self-identity and attest to being an undergraduate student starting their first year of college.
All materials must be submitted either through the official application form, or by email The University of Pennsylvania Veterans Upward Bound program.
The initial materials include:
- Online Scholarship Application Form: Found at this link.
- Application Essay: Can be submitted in the Scholarship Application Form or emailed to vetupward@pobox.upenn.edu
We will contact you for the following:
- DD214: To verify eligibility for Character of Discharge and Active Duty Service
- Income Attestation: If applying for Financial Need competitive preference.
- First Generation Attestation: If applying for First Generation competitive preference.
- First Year Attestation: If applying for First Year competitive preference.
- Evidence of enrollment in an undergraduate program at a post-secondary institution.
All materials must be submitted no later than 11:59pm EST, March 30th, 2025. **DEADLINE EXTENDED thru August 31st, 2025.**
Please carefully read the prompt and construct an essay following the formatting and prompt. The essay can be submitted in the Scholarship Application or emailed to vetupward@pobox.upenn.edu
Prompt:
Reflect on the transformative power of higher education: as a veteran, explain how pursuing a college degree can shape your future and contribute to your personal and professional growth. Discuss the unique perspective and experiences you bring to the college community and share your vision for making a positive impact on society through your educational journey. In your essay, reserve space to explain why this scholarship money would make a difference to you. Be sure to discuss your academic goals while in school, and your career goals following graduation.
Formatting:
- 1-inch margins
- 12-point font
- Times New Roman font
- Between 600 and 750 words
2024
Ms. Jazzmere “Jazz” Weathers
Community College of Philadelphia
