Prominent figures in entertainment and social media are not just making significant in their careers, but with their philanthropy. Celebrities like Halle Bailey, Alix Earle, and Megan Thee Stallion introduced scholarships in 2023 that are designed to assist and empower current college students as they further their education. Even music royalty like Beyonce and Jay-Z started a scholarship to assist young talent studying creative arts at HBCUs. These celebs have helped students across the country and are likely going to continue giving out financial support to those in need.
As we near the start of a new year (hello 2024!), let’s break down the scholarships these celebrities have started to with college students in mind. So, without further ado, here’s how you can get a little piece of cash, just for pursuing your aspirations.
These opportunities go quick as they offer tangible assistance to those striving for success in their future endevors.
Halle Bailey
Grammy-nominated artist Halle Bailey, known for her starring role in Disney’s The Little Mermaid, introduced an exciting initiative in 2023 known as the “Angel Scholarship.” On Sept. 27, Bailey took to Instagram to share the details of this scholarship, which is designed to empower and celebrate young Black women within the performing arts.
The scholarship, named after Halle’s debut solo record “Angel,” provides four young women $10,000 each to support their education in the performing arts. Bailey expressed her gratitude to her supporters, saying, “Thank you for supporting #angel and helping to fulfill the dreams of these incredibly talented young ladies.”
The winners of the scholarship (picked by Bailey herself) were announced on Thursday, Oct. 5, but fingers crossed she brings it back next year!
Alix Earle
With over 5 million followers on TikTok and 2 million on Instagram, Alix Earle has risen to become one of the most notable figures on social media — an achievement that she’s credited to her academics as a Business major at The University of Miami.
“During my junior year, there was a marketing class at UM that significantly helped me in my career path. We learned about the analytics and data behind posts. It allowed me to look at my work and see what was working or not working and why,” she told her alma mater in June 2023.
That same month, The University of Miami announced a new scholorship in Earle honor. With the help of Earle, the institution established The Alix Earle Scholarship, which provides “significant resources for students pursuing degrees in business” in an effort to strengthen the school’s “commitment to diversity and inclusion.”
Earle’s scholarship fund will provide financial assistance to outstanding business students, particularly women, who demonstrate remarkable potential in the field.
To apply, students must be juniors or seniors enrolled at the University of Miami and pursuing a degree in Business. According to the scholarship, “The primary criteria for selection will be financial need as determined by the University of Miami Office of Financial Assistance and Employment.”
Though the 2023-2024 scholarship deadline has passed, fingers crossed it will be available for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z
In 2021, Tiffany & Co. announced its scholarship program, “About Love” in collaboration with Beyoncé and Jay-Z. The scholarship was created to fund the education of students pursuing careers in the creative arts. Sponsored by BeyGOOD and the Shawn Carter Foundation, Tiffany and Co. pledged $2 million dollars to support budding talent in the arts and creative fields at HBCUs.
To apply, students must attend one of the five designated HBCUs (Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, Norfolk State University, Bennett College, University of Arkansas, and Central State University in Ohio), maintain full-time status, major in Theatre, Music, History, or a related interdisciplinary subject, and maintain a 2.0 GPA. Applications can be submitted on the Shawn Carter Foundation website.
Megan Thee Stallion
Despite her hectic schedule, Megan The Stallion is still making time to give back to her Hotties. In September 2023, the rapper announced that she had partnered with Flamin’ Hot Cheetos to help Spring 2024 seniors at Texas Southern University (TSU) graduate without any debt.
Megan Thee Stallion will use the proceeds from her Flamin’ Hot Cheetos merch line, which she created with Melody Ehsani, to launch a $150,000 scholarship fund. Graduating TSU seniors can apply for this scholarship here.