The NEED Podcast

Dr. Marcia Sturdivant
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  • EDUCATION

The NEED Podcast brings you powerful stories from the frontlines of educational equity. Hosted by Dr. Marcia Sturdivant, President & CEO of NEED, each episode features dynamic students, passionate advocates, and strategic partners who are reshaping futures through mentoring, scholarships, and collaborative support. Whether you're navigating the college journey, uplifting your community, or exploring how your organization can make a difference, this series offers real talk and real tools. Expect inspiring conversations, practical insights, and a celebration of the partnerships making higher education possible—especially for those who need it most. Learn how you can help unlock the power of education. Apply for scholarships, access support, or get involved at www.NEEDLD.org ✨ You can also reach us at needpgh@gmail.com or 412-566-2760. To learn more about NEED visit: https://www.NEEDLD.org NEED 429 Fourth Avenue, 20th FL, Suite 2000  Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-566-2760 

Episodes

  1. 12/29/2025

    Celebrating Scholars, Fueling Futures: NEED's Annual Dinner Turns Recognition Into Opportunity

    What Is The Significance Of The Annual NEED Dinner? A red carpet. A packed ballroom. Hundreds of voices cheering as students’ names, majors, and destinations are read aloud. This is the NEED Dinner—our annual, student-centered celebration where recognition becomes momentum and a community shows up to launch scholars into college with pride and purpose. We walk you through the meaning behind every choice: a formal sit-down meal that says “get used to this,” African drummers and cultural touchstones that affirm identity, and a dais that centers students, not speeches. You’ll hear how scholarships at the dinner symbolize recognition within a wider ecosystem of support, and why bringing sophomores and juniors to watch turns distant dreams into near-term goals. Parents sit in a dedicated section to cheer. Churches fill “church row” and compete to fund a scholarship for a congregant. Fraternities, sororities, colleges, judges, and civic leaders come to witness, applaud, and invest in the next class. We also share practical paths to support. Donors and business partners can engage early in the year to align with the May date, start or continue named scholarships, or volunteer when funds aren’t possible. Grants and foundations are vital, but it’s often the number of contributors—not just the size of gifts—that changes a student’s path. A standout memory captures the heart of the night: a retired teacher, once a Need recipient, receives a spontaneous standing ovation from former students who cry out, “You were my teacher!” Impact echoes when communities celebrate their own. If you believe public celebration can be a catalyst, you’ll find the blueprint here: culture, recognition, and resources working together to lift students into higher education. Subscribe for more stories that center students and expand access, share this episode with a friend who loves mentoring, and leave a review to help more people join this mission. To learn more about NEED visit: https://www.NEEDLD.org NEED 429 Fourth Avenue, 20th FL, Suite 2000 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-566-2760

    15 min

  2. 12/22/2025

    How A Community Turned Medgar Evers’ Legacy Into 50,000 College Journeys

    What Does NEED Stand For And Why Was It Founded? A single phone call turned grief into momentum. When Marian Jordan heard that Medgar Evers had been assassinated in 1963, she teamed up with Florence Reizenstein and organized a benefit dinner that changed the trajectory for 76 students. That night became the seed of NEED, a scholarship and mentorship engine that has since propelled more than 50,000 African American students into and through college. We sit down with Dr. Marcia Sturdivant, President and CEO of NEED—and a former NEED recipient—to unpack how a local act of courage grew into a national network of alumni, mentors, and partners. Dr. Sturdivant traces the early support from leaders like Sargent Shriver and A. Philip Randolph, explains why the organization shortened its original name while staying true to its mission, and shares the traditions that keep alumni returning as donors and champions. From the annual scholarship dinner to year-round advising, she shows how financial aid, guidance, and community turn access into completion and careers. The results are measurable and moving. A recent study found NEED alumni in 48 states achieving closer economic parity within their professions, narrowing gaps through education, internships, and social capital. We explore how leadership continuity, student-centered programs, and a no-frills motto—“we outperform”—drive outcomes without chasing competition. If you care about equity, mentoring, and the power of local action to scale nationally, this conversation offers a blueprint for impact you can join today. Subscribe to stay connected, share this story with someone who believes in education, and leave a review to help others find the show. Ready to act? Apply, volunteer, or partner at www.needld.org, email needph@gmail.com, or call 412-566-2760. To learn more about NEED visit: https://www.NEEDLD.org NEED 429 Fourth Avenue, 20th FL, Suite 2000 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-566-2760

    13 min

  3. 12/17/2025

    Inside NEED’s 10-Day Journey Through HBCUs And History

    NEED Has An Annual HBCU Tour. What Has This Experience Been Like For Students And Tour Leaders? Watch a light switch on when a student steps onto a campus where success looks like them. We take you inside NEED’s 10-day HBCU tour, a journey through more than a dozen states and nearly 18 campuses that blends admissions access, cultural history, and mentoring into a life-changing experience. From first-time travel to first-time acceptances, this is where uncertainty gives way to pride, purpose, and a plan. We break down how the tour is built for impact: business casual expectations to practice professional presence, guided sessions with admissions officers who often extend on-the-spot offers, and structured time with current students and alumni who greet the group like family. Along the way, we anchor every campus visit in context—stops at Fort Monroe, civil rights sites, and museums pair with bus-ride conversations and videos that explain why HBCUs exist, how they’ve endured, and what it means to learn in spaces designed to celebrate Black excellence. You’ll hear why access is the nonnegotiable foundation. If a student wants college, NEED brings the mentoring, tutoring, and guidance to get them there. The criteria are simple—desire, an application, and a conversation—while scholarships and community support help cover costs. Parents are partners, students are known by name, and alumni show up on campus to say, “there’s my people,” turning a tour into a living network. The results speak for themselves: elevated motivation, deeper belonging, and a strong share of students choosing HBCUs with confidence. Ready to support a student’s first step toward a degree and a community that lasts? Subscribe, share this episode with a friend, and leave a review to help more families discover NEED’s path to college. To apply for scholarships or get involved, visit www.Needld.org. To learn more about NEED visit: https://www.NEEDLD.org NEED 429 Fourth Avenue, 20th FL, Suite 2000 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-566-2760

    12 min

  4. 12/10/2025

    Own Your Path To College Success: Advice From Dr. Marcia Sturdivant

    What Advice Do You Give College-bound Students Navigating Barriers And Uncertainty? Your college journey shouldn’t be decided by glossy brochures or a noisy feed. We break down how to make confident choices with first-hand campus visits, real conversations, and a plan that fits your life. Dr. Marcia Sturdivant shares practical ways to highlight your strengths in applications, write essays that actually say something, and build a schedule that supports energy, work, and family commitments. We dig into the limits of social media when evaluating schools and offer a smarter research stack: student newspapers, course catalogs, alumni from different eras, current students, and staff who know the day-to-day. You’ll hear why colleges value well-rounded applicants, how to present uneven transcripts with clarity, and what it looks like to turn doubt into action. From choosing professors to timing your course load, we focus on the small decisions that compound into big wins. Life outside campus doesn’t pause, so we talk openly about balancing home stress with academic goals. Learn how to tap campus resources many students overlook: counseling and behavioral health services, student success centers, food and clothing banks, and crisis support. We close with a reminder that admissions is a network of doors—if one closes, others open—and that momentum comes from honest self-assessment, mentorship, and steady follow-through. If this conversation helps you or someone you know, share it with a future first-year, subscribe for more mentoring and scholarship guidance, and leave a review with the biggest question you want us to tackle next. To learn more about NEED visit: https://www.NEEDLD.org NEED 429 Fourth Avenue, 20th FL, Suite 2000 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-566-2760

    12 min
  • 4 Episodes

About

The NEED Podcast brings you powerful stories from the frontlines of educational equity. Hosted by Dr. Marcia Sturdivant, President & CEO of NEED, each episode features dynamic students, passionate advocates, and strategic partners who are reshaping futures through mentoring, scholarships, and collaborative support. Whether you're navigating the college journey, uplifting your community, or exploring how your organization can make a difference, this series offers real talk and real tools. Expect inspiring conversations, practical insights, and a celebration of the partnerships making higher education possible—especially for those who need it most. Learn how you can help unlock the power of education. Apply for scholarships, access support, or get involved at www.NEEDLD.org ✨ You can also reach us at needpgh@gmail.com or 412-566-2760. To learn more about NEED visit: https://www.NEEDLD.org NEED 429 Fourth Avenue, 20th FL, Suite 2000  Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-566-2760 

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Marcia Sturdivant
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    4
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The NEED Podcast