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Three Atlanta Students Receive Georgia United Foundation x AACUC HBCU Scholarships in Honor of Dr. James Williams

Jun 18, 2026

Duluth, GA (June 16, 2026) - Georgia United Credit Union Foundation in partnership with the African American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC) is excited to announce the 2026 recipients of their 3rd annual Dr. James Williams HBCU Scholarship:

  • Lauren Chambers, Atlanta, GA - Psychology Major, Morris Brown College
  • Kelsey Harpe, Covington, GA - Health Sciences Major, Spelman College
  • Landen Tomlin, Stonecrest, GA - Music Major, Shaw University

All three were awarded their $2,500 scholarship checks today at Georgia United Credit Union’s corporate offices. This year’s scholarship recipients, were chosen from among a pool of over 60 HBCU student applicants due to their impactful essays answering the prompt, “Explain the importance of representation in your field of study or profession, and how do you plan to contribute to increasing diversity in that area?"

Dr. Williams, the namesake of the scholarship, has had a distinguished career in education, serving as the former Deputy Superintendent for Administration of DeKalb County Schools. He has also held positions as a teacher, principal and area director in the DeKalb County School System. Dr. Williams completed his undergraduate studies at Alabama State University earned his master's and Ed.S. degrees from Georgia State University and received his Doctorate from Clark Atlanta University. A member of Georgia United Credit Union since 1971, Dr. Williams was elected as the first African American to serve on the Credit Union’s Board of Directors in 1997. Throughout his tenure, he served in various leadership roles, including Vice Chair, Secretary and as a member of the Credit Committee and Asset & Liability Committee.

For years, the Georgia United Foundation has been dedicated to enriching lives by offering scholarships that make it easier for Georgia families to afford college. These scholarships are awarded annually to empower students to achieve their academic dreams. So far, Georgia United Scholarships have impacted 443 students with over $750,000 disbursed. 

Scholarships applications are accepted in January each year at www.gucufoundation.org and are open to credit union members who are high school seniors, college undergraduates, and public-school educators seeking advanced degrees. HBCU Scholarships are open to HBCU students who apply through AACUC’s website.