More than 300 guests stepped up for “Jazz Inside Out” at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts on July 2 for the Virginia Higher Education Fund’s annual gala to raise funds to help underserved college students. In addition to honoring 12 scholarship winners, the evening featured jazz music by Phillip “Doc” Martin and Kia Bennett and line dancing led by “Line Dance King” Kemel Patton. VHEF’s executive director Rose Giles said that, in addition to the 12 Momentum Scholarships students will receive, VHEF’s partnership with Saint Paul’s Baptist Church College Connect and Ross Stores will enable the nonprofit to provide luggage, dorm kits and gift cards to 11 students who have limited financial resources.

VHEF’s 2022 Scholarship winners and their college plans include:

• Nonso Akunwafer, Virginia Commonwealth University, urban and regional studies.

• Tiera Beale, Virginia State University, business management.

• Guillermo Flores, Old Dominion University, electrical engineering.

• Shamari Garnett, Virginia Commonwealth University, nursing.

• Madison Kelly, Virginia Tech, dairy science.

• Demario Lonzer, Hampden-Sydney College, biology.

• Pray Meh, Virginia Commonwealth University, biology.

• Jamain Rattery, Shenandoah University, business and esports (electronic sports.)

• Anthony Rodriguez, Old Dominion University, computer science.

• Janae Thompson, Norfolk State University, nursing.

• Denise Tyler, Reynolds Community College, health sciences.

• Zion Wiley, Reynolds Community College, cyber security.