Quent Alcorn (Class of 2016) spent his years in Charlottesville dedicated to his friends, to his schoolwork, and to his community—all while injecting his signature sense fun and humor to everything and everyone he encountered.
In his memory, the Quentin Alcorn Memorial Scholarship serves to recognize those at the University of Virginia who continue to embody these traits and positively impact the lives of those around them.
The 2024 winner of the Quentin Alcorn Scholarship is Phillip Bonsu.
Phillip Bonsu is a rising third-year from Ashburn, Virginia, pursuing a B.S. in Global Public Health & Data Science on the pre-medical track. He intends to continue his education after graduation by attending medical school. He aspires to become a pediatrician to enhance the accessibility, equity, and transparency of healthcare in his home country of Ghana and the U.S. In addition to his academic pursuits, Phillip currently serves as the Secretary for the Iota Beta chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and the Community Service Chair & Director of Outreach for the Organization of African Students (OAS). Phillip also holds the roles of Peer Advisor for the Office of African American Affairs and Fellow for the Meriwether Lewis Institute for Citizens Leadership, class of 2026.
During our interview with Phillip, we gained deeper insight into his significant work supporting young Black and West African students. As Community Service Chair & Director of Outreach for OAS, he is actively involved in helping them navigate the college admissions process, prepare for the SAT and ACT, and establish valuable mentorship networks. This includes facilitating connections that pair UVA students with young students in the Charlottesville community and fostering meaningful mentorship relationships. Additionally, Phillip is spearheading the initiative of a Big Sibling/Little Sibling mentorship and tutoring program. This initiative, a collaboration with UVA’s Equity Center and the StarrHill Program, aims to empower UVA students from the OAS and the broader university community to mentor, tutor, and guide Charlottesville students virtually and in person. Phillip is designing this program to be offered free of charge, with transportation provided, to ensure consistent and inclusive opportunities for both the UVA students and mentees, ensuring they can meet consistently. Furthermore, Phillip shared insights about being a brother of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., where he and his fraternity brothers organize fundraisers to provide scholarship opportunities for UVA students and volunteer as teacher assistants weekly at Charlottesville schools.
For questions or additional information about the scholarship, award, or donations, please contact us at alumni-scholarships@virginia.edu.