SU’s Segue hopes to use Soledad O’Brien Scholarship to change lives

21st November 2011   ·   0 Comments

“The options were to take out a lot of loans because I couldn’t get financial aid,” said 20-year-old Tyreiron Segue about her choices to pay for college after graduating from John McDonogh High School in 2010.

That was before she discovered earlier this year that she would receive a scholarship from CNN anchor’s Soledad O’Brien and Brad Raymond Foundation.

And not just a scholarship, a full ride including the New Orleans native’s tuition, room, board, books and any supplies that she my need during her academic career at Southern University and summer internship opportunities as well.
Since Hurricane Katrina, O’Brien and her husband, Brad Raymond, have been providing scholarships, out of their own pockets, to young ladies who have a financial need and who are determined to do something different and better with their lives.

“We take young, talented young women who really just lack money, and pay for their tuition, their books and their daycare. Whatever they need,” said O’Brien.

Segue, who met O’Brian through a relative while she was still in high school, said she was overjoyed when she received a call from O’Brien telling her that she would pay for her college career and said that it has a great relief to her.

“I don’t have to go to get a book voucher,” explained the sophomore finance major. “I get my books the same day school starts. I don’t have to take any loans and when I graduate I will be debt-free.”

Although the foundation does not require their scholarship recipients to donate back to the foundation, it does give them a sense of wanting to give back.

“You feel you have to give back to someone else,” said Segue. “When I graduate I want to do something for the community. If it’s just a camp or a fair, I want to not only give back to the community. I want to give back to the kids.”

Segue says she selected Southern University because her family went to the school and she wanted to go to a historically Black institution of higher learning.

“I have found a lot of help at Southern with Dr. Emma Bradford Perry (SU Dean of Libraries) in the Library and my mentors,” said Segue.

This past summer Segue interned in New York and has the option of interning at CNN but says her ultimate goal is to be a cooperate buyer for a store like Saks.

“Eventually I want to own my own high-in clothing store and an everyday clothing store,” added Segue, who plans to graduate in 2014.

This year, O’Brian and Ray­mond decided to start the non-profit organization to increase financial assistance, support to scholarship recipients and award more scholarships in 2012. To date, the couple has provided seven scholarships to young women through their foundation and more than 15 to young men and women from across the United States.

“My foundation’s work allows me to change the outcome of these girls’ stories. It is more than money. It is saying that I am here for you,” said O’Brien.

The Soledad O’Brien and Brad Raymond Foundation’s Board Selection Committee will open the scholarship application and intake process in 2012. The scholarships will be available to females aged 15-21. For more details and submission criteria, visit the Foundation’s website at obrienraymondfoundation.com.

O’Brien, an anchor and special correspondent for CNN, has won numerous awards for reporting on the stories of the under-served including the popular series “Black in America” and “Latino in America.” Raymond is the Co-Head of Investment Banking at Stifel Nicolaus Weisel, board member of the New York City Outward Bound program and Trustee for the Westminster School.

This article was originally published in the November 21, 2011 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper