LaMelo Ball, the NBA Rookie of the Year and point guard for the Charlotte Hornets, may not have attended college, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t respect education. The young NBA baller has teamed up with Jay-Z and will attend the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports, and Entertainment on a four-year scholarship.
Jay-Z and his team founded the school in 2020, and it formally debuted this autumn as part of a Long Island University curriculum. Students are taught by world-renowned artists and educators, giving them practical insight and real-world, hands-on experience in the media and entertainment sector. When the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports, and Entertainment was first announced last year, it was reported that Roc Nation Hope Scholarships will be available to 25% of the freshman class.
“I want to encourage the next generation of sports executives and leaders to follow their dreams just like I did to make it to the NBA. I’m fortunate to have the means and public platform to support others, so I want to do my part and create a lane for a student to get a strong education and be in position to make a meaningful impact in the sports industry,” Ball told The Bleacher Report.
Students majoring in Sports Management or Sports Communication & Marketing are eligible for Ball’s scholarship. Applicants must have a SAT score of at least 1100 (ACT score of 22) or a grade average of B or better. Applicants must also submit a written essay outlining their long-term goals for the next decade, as well as how receiving the LaMelo Scholarship will affect those goals.
Megan Thee Stallion is a guest lecturer for LIU’s “Industry Expert Speaker Series” and previously provided a full four-year scholarship to the institution. 9th Wonder, a hip-hop producer and former member of Little Brother, joined the school’s faculty this summer and teaches a hip-hop history course as well as other programs.
Students can apply for LaMelo Ball’s scholarship up until Dec. 1 and the recipient will be announced by the end of 2021 with the scholarship funds for the Fall 2022 semester. You can find out more information about the program and scholarship at http://apply.liu.edu/rn.
