By Delatria Palacios
The 2025 Healthy Heart Nation (HHN) HBCU Scholarship is more than a pathway, it’s a promise of visibility, support, and opportunity for students standing at the crossroads of advocacy, leadership, and innovation.
This scholarship is a bridge to healing, hope, and a lasting impact. It’s a meaningful call to the next generation: those who strive to change their communities through healthcare, awareness, resources, tools, education, and civic engagement. It’s designed to uplift students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, long-standing pillars of black excellence, brilliance, and resilience.
Healthy Heart Nation, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing cardiovascular health and wellness. With a deep understanding that the key to a healthier tomorrow lies in young minds today, HHN shines a spotlight on the intersection between public health and academic achievement through its scholarship initiative.
Why focus on heart health? Because among Black Americans, cardiovascular disease remains one of the leading causes of death. From limited access to quality care and nutritious food to bias in the medical field, the obstacles are numerous and deeply rooted. Healthy Heart Nation tackles these challenges head-on, through education, and preparation, equipping future leaders with the tools to rewrite the narrative and advance health.
The scholarship is part of a broader movement to cultivate lasting change. It reflects a belief that those closest to these challenges are best equipped to address them, and that HBCU students, deeply connected to their communities, are positioned to lead the way.
Currently, the 2025 HHN HBCU Scholarship is open to undergraduate students enrolled at a Historically Black College or University who demonstrate:
- A strong commitment to public health, heart health wellness, or servicing the community
- Leadership potential and academic excellence
- A clear mission to leverage their education to drive meaningful change
Applicants are encouraged to reflect on their academic goals, share their personal journey, and highlight how this scholarship will fuel their mission. They should speak to what inspired them to apply, and how they plan to use their education to make meaningful change.
Most often, voices from marginalized communities are overlooked in healthcare. Healthy Heart Nation seeks to change that by supporting students who harness their knowledge and lived experience to reshape the narrative.
In the words of HHN’s founder, Dr. Nicole Merriweather:
“We’re not just investing in students. We’re investing in dreams, in hope, and in a future where heart health doesn’t depend on zip code or skin color.”
The scholarship invites applicants to reflect both compassionately and critically on their role in addressing health disparities, while honoring the legacy of black scholars whose contributions have laid the foundation for progress. The HHN scholarship aims to keep that legacy alive helping students write their own chapters of impact.
HBCUs foster not just academic growth but a deep understanding of identity, community, and purpose, shaping students who are ready to lead with heart and conviction. Healthy Heart Nation sends a clear message: that where you come from should never define where you’re headed, and that belonging is essential to becoming. In addition to expanding their influence and refining their skillsets, HHN scholars will have access to networking events, professional seminars, and collaborative projects.
Applications for the 2025 Healthy Heart Nation HBCU Scholarship are officially open, and the organization is eager to welcome candidates who are ready to ignite change. Whether you’re pursuing nursing, pharmacy, research, business, public health, political science, or performing arts, if you’re passionate about improving lives, this opportunity is for you.
Visit www.myhhn.org for application details and deadlines. The future of heart health begins with bold, brilliant leaders, and HHN is ready to help you step into that role.
