Beyonce and Jay-Z Announce Multimillion-Dollar Scholarship for HBCU

Powerhouse entertainment couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z are giving back in a major way. The “Drunk In Love” singer and rapper recently announced that they’ve set up a new $2 million dollar scholarship fun specifically for students with passions in the arts. The new effort, known as the About Love scholarship, will provide funds for students attending a select group of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

The scholarship is a triple venture between Jay-Z’s Shawn Carter Foundation, Beyoncé’s BeyGOOD charity program, and Tiffany & Co., the latter features Mr. and Mrs. Carter at the center of their newest ad campaign. 

Students applying to or attending five small private and state schools across the country will have between Friday, Sept. 10 and Sunday, Sept. 26 to submit their applications. Colleges and universities chosen are Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, Norfolk State University in Virginia, Bennett College in North Carolina, the University of AR-Pine Bluff in Arkansas, and Central State University in Ohio.

“This opportunity is timely as our students come from many different socioeconomic backgrounds,” Dr. Jack Thomas, the President of Central State University said in an official statement, as reported by Hip Hop DX. “These funds will have a tremendous impact on who we recruit and our students’ success as they move on to graduate and professional schools and into their careers.”

Bey and Jay “encourage all who are eligible” to apply. Both artists made separate announcements on their respective charity social media pages. This isn’t the first time Beyonce’ has dedicated funds to college students. In 2018 amid her Netflix Homecoming special and performance at Coachella, she announced the Homecoming Scholars Award Program, also aimed at HBCUs. 

The release read in part: “One winner from each school will receive $25K for the 2018-2019 academic year for study in various fields. This is the second year for a scholars program created by Beyoncé. The Formation Scholars Awards Program, a merit scholarship program was established in April 2017 in celebration of the one-year anniversary of LEMONADE, Beyoncé’s critically-acclaimed and globally-lauded 2016 visual album. The Formation Scholars awards encouraged and supported young women who are bold, creative, conscious, confident and unafraid to think outside of the box. The Homecoming Scholars Award Program for 2018-2019 will expand to all qualifying students at the four universities, regardless of gender. The disciplines will include literature, creative arts, African- American studies, science, education, business, communications, social sciences, computer science and engineering.”