A new financial education program is making its way to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with the help of Jay-Z.

According to a news release shared with AFROTECH™, the Shawn Carter Foundation, with support from Toyota Motor North America, is launching the Champions for Financial Legacy (CFFL) program in time for Spring 2025. To start, the program will benefit students at Lincoln University, Norfolk State University, and Virginia State University, offering a financial curriculum structured around real-world applications.

“We are excited to see our partnership with the Shawn Carter Foundation evolve to include this innovative initiative,” said Monica Womack, general manager of diversity & inclusion and community engagement at Toyota, per the release. “One that not only provides resources to HBCU students but also reaches the heart of the community, through advocacy for financial literacy.”

The curriculum, developed in collaboration with the Coalition for Equity and Opportunity at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, covers essential topics such as budgeting, credit scores, market risks and returns, mutual funds, and the stock market. The goal is to provide students with a roadmap for success and the tools to build generational wealth. The program borrows from a curriculum built by Wharton professor Dr. Keith Weigelt — a partner of Jay-Z’s foundation for several years — including Bridges to Wealth, a financial literacy program.
“One way to strengthen the resiliency of middle-class households is to increase their ability to generate wealth,” explained Weigelt, the Marks-Darivoff Family Professor of Strategy at The Wharton School and founder of Bridges to Wealth. “I thank both the Shawn Carter Foundation and Toyota for their foresight in addressing a long-neglected social disparity.” 
Dr. Gloria Carter, CEO and co-founder of the Shawn Carter Foundation, commented:

“Every day at the Shawn Carter Foundation, we dedicate ourselves to uplifting students and communities that are underserved. To launch a financial education program that will reach more students and communities, along with dedicated partners like Toyota and the Wharton School of Business, is a vision we are finally seeing come to fruition. We are so excited to see the incredible impact of CFFL unfold and look forward to its growth.”