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Beyoncé announces $100,000 in scholarships to black colleges

Beyoncé performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio on Saturday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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After making history as the first black woman to headline Coachella, Beyoncé has expanded the scholarship program she launched last year with new donations to four traditionally black universities.

Through her BeyGOOD philanthropic initiative, the pop star has established the Homecoming Scholars Award program, which will award $100,000 in scholarships to Xavier, Wilberforce, Tuskegee and Bethune-Cookman universities.

“We salute the rich legacy of Historically Black Colleges and Universities,” said Ivy McGregor, director of philanthropy and corporate relations at Parkwood Entertainment, which houses BeyGOOD. “We honor all institutions of higher learning for maintaining culture and creating environments for optimal learning which expands dreams and the seas of possibilities for students.”

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The singer established the program in 2017 to mark the one-year anniversary of her 2016 visual album, “Lemonade.”

While last year’s Formation Scholars Award spotlighted young women, the Homecoming program isn’t gender-specific.

The disciplines associated with the program will include literature, creative arts, African American studies, science, education, business, communications, social sciences, computer science and engineering. All applicants must maintain a 3.5 GPA or higher and winners will be selected by the four universities.

Beyoncé framed her comeback performance at Coachella as if it were a half-time show at homecoming.

A release announcing the expanded scholarship shed more light on the inspiration of Bey’s performance: “The show, with its homage to excellence in education, was a celebration of the homecoming weekend experience, the highest display of college pride. The energy-filled production put the spotlight on art and culture, mixing the ancient and the modern, which resonated masterfully through the marching band, performance art, choir and dance. It was the impetus to mark her second scholarship program.”

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gerrick.kennedy@latimes.com

For more music news, follow me on Twitter: @GerrickKennedy

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