About Maurice W. Dorsey and the late Robert J. Battjes
Maurice earned a bachelor's of science degree in Family and Consumer Sciences from the University of Maryland, College Park in 1970; then earned a masters' degree of Arts and Sciences from the Johns Hopkins University in 1975; and earned a second masters' degree of Education from the Loyola University of Maryland in 1976. He returned to the University of Maryland to earn a Ph.D. in Education in 1983. Maurice worked in both the public and private sectors finding his career in secondary and higher education, and government. He retired from the United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture in 2012. Since his retirement he has been a writer, public speaker, and advocate for the LGBTQ community.
Robert earned his Doctorate of Social Work at Catholic University of America, Washington DC. He retired a Commissioned Officer (Navy Captain) from the Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Services, Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 1999. After retirement, he continued his research career for the Friends Research Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, until he passed away in 2004.
Both Maurice and Robert were committed to diversity, social justice and pluralism throughout their respective careers, Maurice in Education and Robert in Social Work.
About the Fund
The Maurice W. Dorsey Ph.D. and Robert J. Battjes D.S.W. Scholarship provides merit-based scholarships for undergraduate students who are involved with the Student Success Initiative. Eligible recipients will have participated in programs and initiatives that benefit the Black student community and/or have been members of the Student Success Leadership Council. The Student Success Leadership Council is open to students of all backgrounds.
Meet Our Scholars
Jahsiah Payne 2025-2026 Scholar
Jahsiah Payne has been a Maryland resident her entire life. She attended North Point High School, and in doing so, she’s been given the opportunity to take on leadership roles. This school has also allowed Jahsiah to stay active in student organizations. She played field hockey as a goalie which taught her the importance of teamwork and discipline.Jahsiah’s academic journey has been shaped by hands-on learning experiences, including internships and cybersecurity training, which has shaped her passion for tech and problem-solving.
Justin Graves 2022-2025 Scholar
Justin Graves is a current sophomore at the University of Maryland pursuing Immersive Media Design, Computer Science. While in school, Justin supports his community as a program director and lead STEM instructor for The Patriots Technology Training Center, a nonprofit serving the DC, Maryland, Virginia, New York, and Detroit areas. Since August of 2022, Justin has partnered with STEAM Your Dreams, a nonprofit developing elementary school youth through immersive and educational video games, as a video game developer, event coordinator, and coach.