scholarship

Mary J Blige To Give Away $30k Scholarship

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Mary J. Blige is no stranger to giving back and she’s doing it once again. She’s part of a new scholarship aiming at helping make higher education more affordable for one lucky recipient. According to The Shade Room, she’s teaming up with Pepsi to award a substantial $30k scholarship to one lucky student at Hampton University. The news first broke a few days ago and the application period for the scholarship is underway now.

The Shade Room also shared some details on the academic award. “There are additional requirements to be a candidate for the Strength of a Woman scholarship. The sophomore woman must have full-time enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year with a minimum 2.5 GPA. Additionally, she must be studying “business administration, marketing, arts, finance, or creative design.”  They also clarify that it won’t be Blige herself selecting the winning student, but Scholarship America. Check out all the info on the scholarship below.

Read More: Mary J. Blige Net Worth 2023: What Is The “Queen Of Hip Hop-Soul” Worth?

Mary J. Blige’s Strength Of A Woman Scholarship

Earlier this year Hot 97 joined many in the rap field by putting on a celebrating of the genre’s 50th anniversary. For their celebration they pulled out all the stops. They recruited Wu-Tang Clan, Mariah Carey, EPMD, Sean Paul, and of course Mary J. Blige. She’s no stranger to hanging out with rap royalty either. Last month she was in attendance at Nas’ 50th birthday party alongside Diddy, Slick Rick, Fat Joe, and more.

She also crossed paths with Nas earlier this year when they both performed at the Blue Note Jazz Festival. They took the stage alongside Chance The Rapper, Nx Worries, Cordae, De La Soul and many more for the impressive music lineup in Napa, California. She also put on her own even earlier this year. The Strength Of A Woman Summit featured some all-star contributors and seems to have laid some of the groundwork for her scholarship given the title. What do you think of Mary J. Blige’s new scholarship for female students? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: Mary J Blige Shoots Down “Verzuz” Rumors: “I Could Put The ‘What’s The 411’ Album On & Just Walk Away”

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The post Mary J Blige To Give Away $30k Scholarship appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Lil Durk Gives Howard University $350,000 In Scholarships & Grants

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As much as his career’s blown up, Lil Durk has always kept an ear to his community and taken big steps to lend a hand. Moreover, he just announced the creation and development of the Durk Banks Endowment Fund as part of a collaboration with Amazon Music. Most importantly, though, he donated a total of $350,000 to Howard University in the form of scholarships and grants. Specifically, he will give two Chicago students $50,000 each to attend the HBCU, as well as $250,000 that will contribute to the university’s GRACE Grant.

Furthermore, Durkio will announce said students on Friday (April 14) during his performance at Howard’s 2023 Springfest. Also, he and his team selected them from a pool of 20 participants in his Neighborhood Heroes HBCU College & Career Readiness Cohort Program. To elaborate, the GRACE Grant is a program that helps students through assisting with tuition costs according to the institution. Established in 2014 by President Frederick, it was intended to assist students with the most dire financial needs, and to great result. In the years following its implementation, retention rates among recipients increased by 15%, with four-year graduations at a rate of 78%. This is a 32% increase compared to non-recipients.

Lil Durk Gives Back To Students At Howard University

Through his Neighborhood Heroes Foundation, the Career Readiness program launched in 2022 and gave many opportunities to youngsters in need. Students went on an HBCU college tour in states and cities like Atlanta and Alabama. Also, some of them traveled to New York City to meet executives and professionals at Sony, Alamo Music, and the New York Knicks. Not only that, but they shadowed seasoned veterans in various industries to gain valuable experience.

“I didn’t believe in anything, but being able to have opportunities like this is a big uprise from where I used to be,” Lil Durk remarked. His good deeds continue, even in the seemingly smallest but most impactful ways. The 30-year-old partnered with Chicago Votes gave 29,000 bottles of hand sanitizer to the Illinois Department of Corrections amid high COVID-19 resurgence rates and a water crisis in one of the state’s largest prisons. As The Voice of a generation, Durk continues to show his commitment to creating brighter days ahead for the old, the young, and those in need. For the latest news and updates on Lil Durk, check back in with HNHH.

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Toronto Woman Earns Scholarship To Jay-Z’s Roc Nation School 

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A Toronto native is getting the opportunity of a lifetime, thanks to Jay-Z.  Samantha Samaka was awarded a scholarship of $40,000 to attend Long Island University for four years. Samaka took to Twitter to thank the Hip Hop mogul and Roc Nation’s School of Music for thee scholarship money. 

“THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MY TUITION BEING PAID,” Samaka tweeted. “I LOVE @BEYONCE & JAY Z! SO HONORED TO BE THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN FROM TORONTO TO BE ACCEPTED INTO JAY Z’S SCHOOL OF MUSIC.”   Jay-Z’s Roc Nation partnered with LIU to open the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment. The school, based in Brooklyn, New York, allows students to pursue undergraduate degree programs in music technology, entrepreneurship, sports management, and more.

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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 25: Jay-Z attends 2020 Roc Nation THE BRUNCH on January 25, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Erik Voake/Getty Images for Roc Nation)
Read More: JAY-Z Appoints New Roc Nation COO

The upcoming singer-rapper shared the acceptance letter from the university’s Vocal Performance BM program. “Live the LIU experience with over 280,000 alumni worldwide, in-demand majors, access to prominent internship placements and successful careers,” the acceptance letter read. “Shark Nation has over 30 Division I teams, state-of-the-art exercise and e-sports facilities, access to CEOs and leaders in industries, and a vibrant campus life filled with opportunities to expand your social and professional networks.”

Samantha was also awarded a $10,000 Excellence Award. Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez released a statement about the entertainment company’s partnership with LIU. “This partnership, envisioned alongside LIU President Dr. Cline, is a true investment in our community and young people in Brooklyn, in New York City and beyond.”

We’re excited that the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment will provide unique insight, knowledge, and experiences for students and introduce the world to the next generation of unmatched talent.” The school will also assist in the development of young talent by offering summer residential camps for high school students.