‘Opportunities for Everything’
Student who benefits from the Scarlet Promise Initiative and other scholarships appreciates multidisciplinary journey that Rutgers and its donors have enabled her to explore.
When Rasheemah-Renée Austin graduated from St. Vincent Academy in Newark in 2022, she never dreamed that she would one day study in Greece and learn about the olive oil industry.
But that is exactly what the first-generation college student at Rutgers–Newark has achieved, thanks to the Scarlet Promise Initiative and other scholarships supported by donors. And that wasn’t her only exciting journey as a student. Austin, a senior who grew up in East Orange, volunteered to benefit the homeless in San Diego, California, and participated in a first-generation college student Equal Opportunity Fund (EOF) symposium in Miami.
“Being a Scarlet Promise recipient makes me feel extremely grateful and deeply honored,” says Austin, who lives with her family in Newark. “It represents not only financial support, but belief: belief in my potential, my resilience, and my future. Knowing that Rutgers invested in me has motivated me to take full advantage of every opportunity presented to me.”
Austin, whose younger sister, Sarah, is a sophomore in the Rutgers–Newark Honors Living Learning Community, credits the university for offering so much to its students. “The main thing that I love about Rutgers is there are just so many opportunities to gain knowledge and connections,” she says.
And Austin, who is majoring in marketing at Rutgers Business School, has benefited from numerous scholarships and EOF programs. She has received the need- and merit-based Siegel Family Scholarship for students from the greater Newark area involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Essex, Hudson & Union counties, Rutgers Business School and housing scholarships, and financial aid from the Scarlet Promise Initiative.
“These scholarships and financial aid have enabled me to attend college with significantly less financial stress,” she says. “My scholarships have alleviated that pressure and allowed me to focus on my education, well-being, and personal growth.”
Rutgers’ Programs Help Students Grow
The Rutgers’ Scarlet Promise Initiative is a comprehensive effort to uplift students during and beyond their time at Rutgers by harnessing an array of support such as financial aid, research and internship stipends, emergency financial support, food security resources, and more. These programs will help students apply to, afford, and excel at Rutgers, elevating the talent of Rutgers students from throughout New Jersey and around the world.
These programs have helped Austin, she says, noting that she considers herself a shy person and has learned to move beyond her comfort zone. Austin says the two-week study abroad program in Greece, which she enjoyed sophomore year, changed her life. “I was on a trip with 40 other people, and I knew none of them and only five of them were from Rutgers–Newark. So, I was able to enjoy Greece and learn about the culture and the lifestyle, and it was such a wonderful experience.”
The trip, her second since leaving the country as an infant to visit family in Jamaica, encouraged her to pursue her dream of going into global business. In Greece, she studied the marketing of olive oil. “I learned how businesses can vary from culture to culture,” she says. “It was a powerful, eye-opening experience that broadened my global perspective and strengthened my focus on global business.
“As a businesswoman, you are going to have to travel and meet new people,” she says. “You’re going to have to be comfortable with being the only person in the room who maybe looks like you, who speaks your language, and who is from the place you are from. And you must still be able to carry yourself with the air of confidence and just know your goal and push through.”
Through Rutgers, Austin attended a conference in Miami for first-generation college students. “We had an amazing panel of speakers,” she says. “One speaker, also an EOF student, gave a speech about just going out there and putting yourself first, and how your life experiences and who you are as a person can set you apart from everyone else.”
Austin says the event taught her the importance of networking and using LinkedIn. “That’s when I started building myself to be a better businesswoman, especially with the support and excellence of Rutgers Business School.”
At Rutgers, Austin also enjoys volunteering her time. In San Diego, she helped build an elementary school garden, served meals at a soup kitchen, cleaned beaches, and renovated a program for the homeless.
“The trip made me realize how issues are different from place to place, but they can also be addressed differently,” she says. “It further opened my mind to how marketing can be used to help anything, to help the homeless.”
Austin says she stays engaged on campus and helps various causes. She has assisted with voter registration and community engagement days and served as a peer mentor at Rutgers Business School and as a resident advisor. “My college experience has been enriching, transformative, and multidimensional,” she says.
When she is not in class or volunteering, Austin also works as a social media assistant in University Dining Services.
Austin, who expects to graduate in spring 2027, aspires to get a marketing job in international business and own her own business. She and her sister, Sarah, have a small business called Viciously Veiled, where they create and sell clothing and crafts including bead necklaces.
As a marketing and global business major, she is grateful to Rutgers for the multidisciplinary experience she received in and out of the classroom. “These scholarships provided me with the stability, access, and encouragement I needed to explore opportunities, take risks, and grow into the person I am today. I am deeply thankful that the chances taken on me have bloomed into something truly meaningful.”
The Scarlet Promise Initiative consists of numerous programs at Rutgers supporting students in a variety of ways. For more details, visit Access to Academic Excellence.
Support Excellence
Consider a gift to the Scarlet Promise Initiative Endowment.
