Stella Mason Parson Endowed Scholarship

At a time when segregation still governed American life, Stella Mason Parson became the first African-American woman to graduate from the University of Nevada in 1952. The former sharecropper’s daughter went on to fashion a 33-year teaching career in Clark County, marry and raise three children who went on to earn their own college degrees, have an elementary school named for her and her husband and earn a University of Nevada, Reno President’s Medal for her accomplishments. Mrs. Parson succeeded because of an unshaken belief in herself and a higher power. Mrs. Parson was able to attend the University of Nevada in 1948 thanks in part to a scholarship she received from the Las Vegas chapter of the American Association of University Women. It is her intent with this award to encourage other female students of African American descent to pursue a college education. Preference shall be given to entering freshmen, female students of African-American descent who demonstrate financial need.