Beyonce has added four more colleges to her scholarship programme thanks to a cash injection from Google bosses.
The Halo hitmaker initially launched the Formation Scholars Award last year (17), but after her triumphant performance at the Coachella music festival in California on 14 April (18), when the singer honoured the legacy and traditions of America's historically black colleges by incorporating over 150 musicians, dancers, a marching band, and choir, officials at her BeyGOOD Initiative revealed the fund was being revamped as the Homecoming Scholars Award programme.
The first round of the new scholarships were made available to students at Ohios Xavier University and Wilberforce University, Tuskegee University in Alabama, and Florida's Bethune-Cookman University, with each lucky recipient receiving $25,000 (£18,000) for the 2018/2019 academic year, but now a further four schools have been made eligible for the financial aid.
On Monday (23Apr18), representatives at Beyonce's charity announced a new partnership with executives at Google.org, the philanthropic arm of the Internet giant. Company chiefs have agreed to match the annual $100,000 (£72,000) fund to benefit students at Texas Southern University in the superstar's native Houston, Texas, Tennessee's Fisk University, Grambling State University in Louisiana, and Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.
"Google understands the vital role historically black colleges and universities play in delivering a high quality and culturally responsive education," Maab Ibrahim, a Google.org official, states in a press release.
"In the last several years, Google has launched innovative programs to close the distance between Silicon Valley (California's tech hub) and HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities); we are proud to continue that commitment by matching Beyonce's generous donation."
The superstar, a mother-of-three, is now urging other big businesses to follow Google's lead and do the same to help other students reach their full potential.
