WASHINGTON, DC [March 11, 2025] – Today, Student Freedom Initiative (SFI) announced the winners of its second FREEDOM video competition. FREEDOM stands for Focused on Reducing and Eliminating Educational Debt and Optimizing Mindfulness. Students were asked to create a 3-to-5 minute video documentary on what made them consider the Student Freedom Fund to finance their college education.
“It was difficult to choose our winners since all the entries were inspirational about the importance of a college education,” said Hedda Babilonia, SFI’s Minority Serving Institution Relationship Manager and Project Manager. “We are thrilled so many students are choosing to help fund their college educations with our Student Freedom Loan Agreement (SFLA), which offers four components that Parent PLUS loans do not: Accessibility. Flexibility. Low cost. Low risk.”
Keith B. Shoates, SFI’s President and CEO, said: “The SFLA offers students and families an alternative to the crushing burden of high-cost debt. Students have no payment obligations during their time in school, and once they enter repayment our flexible terms make sure repayment is achievable. Given the “pay it forward” structure of the agreement, when students do begin to pay back their loan, those funds go towards the education of future generations.”
Congratulations to our winners:
Here are quotes from the winners:
Guided by faith and fueled by determination, this experience has been enlightening and a blessing. Creating this video allowed me to step outside of my comfort zone, increase my knowledge about financing my education, and help me to expand in the area of creativity. Overall, it was a fun experience for me. Christian Conyers
Guided by faith and fueled by determination, this experience has been enlightening and a blessing. Creating this video allowed me to step outside of my comfort zone, increase my knowledge about financing my education, and help me to expand in the area of creativity. Overall, it was a fun experience for me.
“I absolutely love this competition, and I am truly honored to be one of its scholarship recipients. The experience has been both exciting and inspiring, providing me with an opportunity to showcase my passion and hard work. Winning this scholarship is not just a financial blessing but also a reminder that dedication and perseverance pay off. I am grateful for this opportunity and for the support that will help me continue pursuing my dreams.” Chancellor Key
“I absolutely love this competition, and I am truly honored to be one of its scholarship recipients. The experience has been both exciting and inspiring, providing me with an opportunity to showcase my passion and hard work. Winning this scholarship is not just a financial blessing but also a reminder that dedication and perseverance pay off. I am grateful for this opportunity and for the support that will help me continue pursuing my dreams.”
”Participating in the Student Freedom Initiative Fund video competition was an incredible experience that challenged me to think creatively and share my story in a meaningful way. Winning third place was an honor, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be recognized alongside other talented students. This competition reinforced the importance of using my voice to inspire change, and I appreciate the support and platform that the Student Freedom Initiative Fund provided. It was a rewarding journey, and I’m excited to see how this experience will shape my future endeavors.” Adriane Branch
”Participating in the Student Freedom Initiative Fund video competition was an incredible experience that challenged me to think creatively and share my story in a meaningful way. Winning third place was an honor, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be recognized alongside other talented students. This competition reinforced the importance of using my voice to inspire change, and I appreciate the support and platform that the Student Freedom Initiative Fund provided. It was a rewarding journey, and I’m excited to see how this experience will shape my future endeavors.”
The Student Freedom Initiative aims to reduce the wealth gap through the lens of education. Our mission is to provide freedom in professional and life choices for students attending Minority Serving Institutions (“MSIs”) by increasing their social and economic mobility using a student centric, evidence based, holistic, and collaborative approach. Student Freedom Initiative supports students and institutions through four key levers:: (1) A private education loan alternative to Parent PLUS loans, (2) Internships and industry-driven certifications, (3) A microgrant program for emergencies and financial literacy tools (4) Institutional infrastructure upgrades. We collaborate with community-based organizations, businesses, and governmental entities to make sustainable, systemic changes to support the entire MSI ecosystem.
To date, the Student Freedom Initiative has received generous contributions from Robert F. Smith, Fund 2 Foundation, Cisco, Jane Street, Prudential Financial, First Republic, the Walmart Foundation, and Target. Ourprograms have been supported by the Business Roundtable’s Racial Equity & Justice Subcommittee on Education, and many others.
To learn more, visit https://StudentFreedomInitiative.org or follow us on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, or TikTok.