Beyoncé and JAY-Z have teamed up with Tiffany & Co. to award $2 million in scholarships to students attending five Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
On Thursday (Sept. 9), the Shawn Carter Foundation announced the partnership on Instagram. “Together w/ @beygood, @tiffanyandco and The Carters, we are honored to announce the About Love scholarship. Together, we pledge USD $2M in scholarship funding for students in the arts and creative fields at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).”
Scholarships will be awarded to five small private state schools: Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, Norfolk State University in Virginia, Bennett College in North Carolina, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Central State University in Ohio.
“We would like to thank the Shawn Carter Foundation, BeyGOOD, The Carters and the Tiffany & Co. family for including Lincoln University in this amazing gift,” Dr. Brenda A. Allen, president of Lincoln University, said in a statement. “Lincoln has placed a high priority on supporting the arts and humanities on our campus. Providing financial support for students pursuing these majors enhances their ability to more fully engage their studies.”
Back in 2017, Beyoncé established the Formation Scholars Award Program for young women studying creative arts, music, literature and African American studies. The goal of the initiative was “to encourage and support young women who are unafraid to think outside of the box and are bold, creative, conscious and confident.”
The following year, the program expanded to only students — both male and female — who attended HBCUs. Applicants had to maintain a 3.5 or better GPA and the winners received $25,000 for the 2018-2019 academic year.
Applications for the About Love Scholarship will open at the five schools on Friday (Sept. 10) and close on Sept. 26. All eligible students are encouraged to apply. Check out the announcement below.