The Cleveland Browns Foundation invited the 2025 Marion Motley Scholarship recipients to CrossCountry Mortgage Campus to receive a tour of the facility and learn more about the organization.
As the Marion Motley Scholarship winners, Brooklyn Stafford-Crandall and Maryam Salti will each be receiving a $10,000 scholarship to continue their education from the Cleveland Browns Foundation in partnership with College Now of Greater Cleveland.
"When you talk about the history of the Cleveland Browns, (Marion Motley) is a name you think of," Browns alumnus Hanford Dixon said. "Jimmy and Dee (Haslam) are all about the community, they are all about the kids and they are all about helping underprivileged kids. And they do whatever they can, and more to try and participate and help."
The Marion Motley Scholarship honors former Browns fullback and linebacker Marion Motley, who overcame many obstacles to break ground as one of the first African American players in the NFL and played with the Browns from 1946-53.
The Canton, Ohio, native became the second African American inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968. He was also a charter member of the Cleveland Browns Legends program in 2001 and was enshrined in the Cleveland Browns Ring of Honor's inaugural class of 2010.
The Marion Motley Scholarship was established during the 2005-06 school year and has provided more than $400,000 to 40 students from the Cleveland area since its inception, including this year's recipients, many of whom are first-generation college attendees. The scholarship is a four-year, renewable scholarship in the amount of $2,500 per year.
For each cycle of the scholarship, Northeast Ohio high school seniors who are pursuing higher education are encouraged to apply. A panel that is comprised of College Now of Greater Cleveland and Cleveland Browns staff, Foundation Board members and Browns Alumni decides the recipients.
Get to know the 2025 Marion Motley Scholarship recipients.
Maryam Salti
Salti has dreamed of pursuing a higher education following her high school graduation, as well as obtaining her master's degree. Yet, growing up in a large family, she recognized the importance of financial aid and scholarships to help her pursue her dreams. Through Willoughby South High School's scholarship application website, she found the Marion Motley Scholarship and applied.
Now, Salti is currently deciding between attending John Caroll University or The Ohio State University in the fall of 2025, while holding the aspiration of becoming a pediatrician.
"I love to interact with kids and help them," Salti said. "I feel like I've always known that I wanted to be that. And I've always loved medicine, too. During my high school career, I did a Licensed Practical Nursing program where we had clinicals and I got to do IVs, I got to give shots. And I loved it, and that's how I knew this is what I wanted to do."
Salti has also been involved in the community throughout her high school days at Willoughby South High School. She was the vice president of her high school class and the president of Key Club, in which she helped organize different volunteer opportunities at food pantries and food drives. She was also a part of the United Way program, where she was a part of group that administered $5,000 to local shelters and charities. And through those experiences, Salti recognized the importance of giving back to others.
"I know how grateful I am," Salti said. "I'm privileged, and you see on social media how people are struggling. I've always wanted to help, and it's rooted in my family, like my family always supports others. I was taught that from my mom and my family. So, it was part of what I grew up in, to be very grateful for what you have and give back to others, too."
Brooklyn Stafford-Crandall
Stafford-Crandall's guidance counselor at Open Door Christian Schools encouraged her to apply for the Marion Motley Scholarship due to her success as a student and her activity in the community. She created a social media page called Community Connections that focuses on educating and advocating for victims and survivors of domestic violence and child abuse.
"I looked more into it, and then hearing more about Marion Motley story, about him overcoming the racial injustices in the early NFL, it made me think towards my own life and being able to persevere through my struggles of being a survivor of domestic violence," Stafford-Crandall said. "And having my platform (called) Community Connections, being able to reach out and advocate for even more survivors in a similar way."
Stafford-Crandall is attending Miami University in the fall of 2025, where she is planning to double major in finance and political science. She's also planning to pursue a master's degree in business data analytics before applying to law school. She values the Marion Motley Scholarship for helping her take a step forward to achieve her education goals. Her career aspirations are to be a lawyer for the FBI, as well as work for a district attorney office.
"As someone who dealt with financial insecurity and even being homeless for multiple years, I knew I had these career goals, but I didn't know how I was going to financially accomplish them," Stafford-Crandall said. "And so, I'm very grateful for the opportunity and to be able to thank the Cleveland Browns and Marion Motley for this specific scholarship that's helping me achieve my career goals."
