HBCU WEEK FOUNDATION & NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP TO OFFER HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SCHOLARSHIPS TO HBCUs

HBCU Week Foundation & the NFL announced today its ongoing partnership to offer eligible HS seniors the opportunity to apply for scholarships, starting Sept 23.

WILMINGTON, DE, UNITED STATES, September 20, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- IN ITS’ SIXTH YEAR, HBCU WEEK FOUNDATION WILL EXCEED $50 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS

HBCU Week Foundation and the National Football League (NFL) announced today its ongoing partnership to offer eligible high school seniors the opportunity to apply for scholarships and college acceptance at any Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the United States. Scholarship applications will open on September 23rd.

“For three years, we have been honored to partner with HBCU Week Foundation to provide high school students with scholarships to the HBCU of their choice,” said Arthur McAfee, NFL Senior Vice President of Football Operations Policy, Education and Relationship Management. “The League understands the invaluable experiences—both on and off the field – that HBCUs provide their students, and we will continue to help high schoolers throughout the country get to these institutions and reach their fullest potential. We look forward to continuing our work with HBCU Week Foundation to ensure access and opportunity for aspiring HBCU students.”

According to the National Center of Education and Statistics, the average cost for tuition and fees to attend a public 4-year institution were $9,400 in 2020-21, about 10 percent higher than a decade prior (2010-11). A private nonprofit 4-year institution average cost was $37,600 in 2020-21, nearly 19 percent higher than they were in 2010-11. Student debt and the ability to garner scholarships is pivotal for high school students to even consider going to a college or university.

“We are proud to have the NFL as a partner to offer recipients $10,000 scholarships to the HBCU of their choice, as these partnerships are critical to impact the racial wealth gap, while also providing quality educational and career opportunities to students who largely come from underserved communities. Students also want to assimilate into a welcoming environment, and there are 101 HBCUs offering the culture they desire,” said Ashley Christopher, CEO of HBCU Week Foundation. Since its inception in 2017, more than 3,500 students have been admitted into HBCUs, bringing the total number of HBCU Week scholarship awards over the $50 million mark in 2022-2023.

The NFL launched its HBCU Initiative in 2016 to strengthen its relationships with HBCUs and offer programming to students who have an interest in careers in football administration and the sports industry at large. Specifically, in August, the NFL hosted its annual HBCU Open House and announced its sports medicine pipeline initiative in which participating students from HBCU medical schools will do clinical rotations at one of eight NFL clubs.

“The NFL has historically benefited from the talents of athletes and executives from HBCUs. But HBCUs also produce talent that oftentimes aren’t properly tapped. HBCU Week Foundation is providing students with an incredible opportunity to earn a scholarship at an established HBCU and connect with corporations and leagues, thus offering a pipeline to employment immediately after graduation. High school students should take notice that HBCUs have a lot to offer in terms of a quality education and mentorship, ” said Malcolm Jenkins, a three-time NFL Pro Bowl Safety and HBCU Week Foundation Ambassador.

High school students are encouraged to attend HBCU Week Wilmington, held September 21-25 in Wilmington, Delaware and HBCU Week Disney, held October 6-9 in Orlando, Florida. At the heart of both events is their College Fair, in which students have the opportunity to meet with HBCU recruiters from across the U.S. in person to earn on-the-spot acceptance and scholarships.

High school seniors can register and get updated information on the full schedule of events and future scholarship announcements by visiting HBCUWeek.org. Scholarship applications will open September 23, 2022. For more information, visit https://www.hbcuweek.org.

ABOUT HBCU WEEK FOUNDATION
The mission of the HBCU Week Foundation is to encourage high-school aged youth to enroll into HBCUs, provide scholarship dollars for matriculation and sustain a pipeline for employment from undergraduate school to corporate America. The most impactful event during HBCU Week is the HBCU College Fair. HBCU Week Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

ABOUT NFL HBCU INITIATIVE
In May 2016, the NFL launched Strength of HBCUs, Impacting Pro Football. Since 1948 in partnership with two prominent HBCU athletic conferences — the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). The initiative has since expanded to also include other conferences and schools to recognize and strengthen its relationships with HBCUs across the country. Through these relationships, the NFL has developed several HBCU-focused programs to educate and connect students to careers in football administration and the sports industry at large.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Kristi Roehm (HBCU Week Foundation), 8 Degrees LLC, kristi@8degreespr.com
Nicole Zilka (HBCU Week Foundation), 8 Degrees LLC, nicole@8degreespr.com

###

Kristi Roehm
8 Degrees
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Other