INDIO, CA - APRIL 14: Beyonce Knowles performs onstage during 2018 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival Weekend 1 at the Empire Polo Field on April 14, 2018 in Indio, California. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Coachella )
NEW YORK (AP) - Beyonce paid tribute to historically black colleges during her groundbreaking Coachella performance, and now the singer is donating $100,000 to four black universities.
The superstar singer announced Monday the Homecoming Scholars Award Program for the 2018-2019 academic year through her BeyGOOD initiative. She plans to give $25,000 each to Tuskegee University, Bethune-Cookman University, Xavier University of Louisiana and Wilberforce University. One student from each school will receive the scholarship money.
“I am truly grateful for this high honor in the legacy of our founder, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune,” said Bethune-Cookman University Interim President Hubert L. Grimes. “This gift reminds us of the importance of HBCU's and the support for our students from the entire community. We want to properly thank Beyonce for selecting our University for this prestigious honor and financial support and hope Beyonce’s leadership encourages other high-profile persons to invest in our young people who are attending HBCUs,” Grimes said.
Beyonce's Coachella festival set was critically acclaimed, as Beyonce paid tribute to the marching bands, the dance troupes and step teams at historically black colleges.
Last year, the singer launched the Formation Scholars Awards Program, supporting creative and bold young women, in celebration of the one-year anniversary of her "Lemonade" album.