Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) has partnered with Hennessy to bring us the Hennessy Fellows Program. The program is a $10M initiative that will award “high-achieving graduate students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with curated corporate development experiences, as well as financial assistance.” Nas happily used his voice to narrate a video, which will be used to promote the program. Nas is hoping his involvement will help encourage more students to enroll in the Hennessy Fellows Program. 

Fellows receive a tremendous opportunity to further their education and also gain real world experience and connections. The opportunity is competitive, as only 10 fellows are selected each year. As Black Enterprise reported, each Fellow will receive:

  • Scholarship up to $20,000 per academic year
  • $10,000 annual stipend for other educational expenses
  • Opportunity to compete for a community-related project grant up to $10,000
  • 1:1 executive coaching
  • Access to online training forums, networking events, and professional advancement experiences
  • Development of leadership and soft skills via exclusive opportunities and experiences
  • Attend an immersive boot camp in the summer of 2020

Among the many challenges HBCUs face is the financial burden college tuition — among other costs — places on families. The endowments of most Black colleges simply aren’t on par with other major universities. In the end, that translates to less scholarship and grant funding which the schools can pass on to students, leaving a greater burden on families. With this in mind, any funding that helps Black students attend HBCUs is welcome and especially, for those pursuing graduate studies. Thankfully, Nas is using his platform and image to help the cause. 

The application for the Hennessy Fellows program is open now through Dec. 31st, 2019. To qualify, students must be enrolled in accredited HBCU program and have a GPA of 3.25. The 10 lucky Fellows will be announced early next year.