As part of an annual tradition for Jay-Z’s foundation, high-achieving high school students will have the chance to tour historically Black colleges and universities around the country.
A press release issued by the Shawn Carter Foundation on Tuesday reveals select students will be able to partake in a week-long bus tour of 11 HBCUs located along the East Coast, stretching from Washington to Atlanta. Sponsored by Toyota, students will also have the chance to meet with college admissions counselors, past scholars from the Shawn Carter Foundation, along with other student brand ambassadors at top-tier schools.
While the exact date of the upcoming tour has not been announced, a preview event is scheduled for Thursday, April 25, at Howard University in Washington. Jay-Z’s mother, Gloria Carter, who is the foundation’s president, as well as Carmin Wong, an alum of the HBCU Bus Tour and recent Howard graduate, are set to appear. Fellow Howard alum Angie Ange of Washington radio station 93.9 WKYS is also set to show up.
In addition, more than 125 schools in the New York and New Jersey area have been selected to participate in college preparatory workshops leading up to the tour. In September, administrators will choose students who will engage in weekend ACT/SAT prep sessions. The meetings will also cover building up résumés and dressing the part for career success.
The Shawn Carter Foundation was founded in 2003 by Jay-Z and his mother as a public charity, meaning a nonprofit that accepts donations from the community. More than $4 million has been used in support of programs meant to empower youth and communities in need. In addition to the bus tour, they included the foundation’s scholarship fund, college prep offerings, study-abroad program as well as goodwill and community initiatives.
The news follows last year’s announcement that Jay and his wife Beyoncé handed out scholarships during their “On The Run II” tour through their respective charities. The Shawn Carter Foundation and BeyGOOD awarded $100,000 to one exceptional high school senior in cities where the tour stopped so they can enroll in a college or university during the 2018-2019 school year. Cities that caught a glimpse of the spouses’ joint tour included Atlanta, Miami, San Diego and New Orleans, to name a few. In total, the Carters handed out more than $1 million worth of grants.
