Nick Cannon launched a special scholarship that will erase student loan debts for many students at HBCUs.
The Wild’N’Out emcee has promised three students from North Carolina A&T University, Winston-Salem State University, Clark Atlanta University, and Saint Augustine’s University to pay off their student-related debts once they successfully graduate.
The students are from historically black colleges in North Carolina who are struggling to make ends meet while attending college. Cannon made the announcement on his syndicated talk show on Monday, where the students were guests.
During the show, Nick Cannon then told the students that they wouldn’t have to worry about outstanding college because it would be paid upon their graduation through a scholarship in partnership with the United Negro College Fund and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, which he will especially fund.
During the show, the students spoke about the challenges they were experiencing and the desire to attend college, with all three of them choosing to attend HBCUs. Cannon himself related to the struggles they spoke about, and he talked about the importance of education as an alumnus of Howard University, another HBCU in Washington, D.C.
One of the students, Mackenzie Estrep, a senior at Saint Augustine’s University, told Cannon that she is the first in her family to graduate high school and attend college, but she has been struggling as she works three jobs to help pay for tuition.
The other student, Sharandica Midcalf, a student at Winston-Salem State University, revealed that she was homeless and that she became motivated to pursue a college education after a school counselor told her she didn’t have the GPA to get into college. She too is the first in her family to attend college.
Meanwhile, Christian Kornegay, who has dreams of becoming a professional host and entertainer, said he worked hard to overcome a learning disability and got accepted to North Carolina A&T University.
Meanwhile, Cannon spoke of the importance of having an education as he noted his own experience attending an HBCU. He’s an alumnus of Howard University, an HBCU in Washington, D.C.
