Jay-Z actively champions education — and now, NBA’s own LaMelo Ball is joining forces with the entertainment mogul.

For Long Island University’s (LIU’s) Roc Nation School of Music, Sports and Entertainment’s latest scholarship, the Charlotte Hornets star announced on Sept.29 that he’ll be providing a four-year scholarship for Fall 2022 to a student majoring in sports management or sports communication/marketing, according to TMZ Sports.

“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,” Ball told the outlet. “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 a position to make a meaningful impact in the sports industry.”

The LaMelo Ball Scholarship will provide a unique opportunity for those who wish to pursue their career in sports marketing. The Roc Nation program “will allow students to gain experience in sports writing, reporting, broadcasting, promotion, and digital marketing and collaborate closely with LIU’s alumni network, including an exciting list of sports reporters, publicists, and experts,” according to the program’s official website.

Roc Nation partnered with Brooklyn’s LIU in 2020 in a historic collaboration and officially opened in Fall 2021. The school offers undergraduate degrees in music, music technology, entrepreneurship & production, and sports management.

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As AfroTech previously reported, 25 percent of the fall’s incoming freshmen received Roc Nation Hope Scholarships — which allows them to graduate without any debt.

The LaMelo Ball Scholarship is now open and will close on Dec.1 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The winner will be notified no later than Dec. 31 at 11:59 p.m. ET, according to Roc Nation School’s Instagram post. Prospective students for the LaMelo Scholarship can apply here.

Long Island University

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