This move could be life-changing for students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

McDonald’s has announced its official plans to remove both financial and mental health barriers for HBCU students in its latest Golden Arches’ Partnership Extension powered through the Shine app, a minority-owned app dedicated to stress and anxiety management.

According to a press release, McDonald’s Black & Positively Golden Scholarship program will award $500,000 in scholarships to 35 HBCU students through a partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF).

“We take seriously the opportunity we have to help our future Black leaders succeed,” said Marty Gillis, New Jersey McDonald’s Owner/Operator and a National Diversity Marketing Committee Lead, in a press release. “The intense and sustained financial and emotional challenges of the past two years have been difficult for many Black students, which is why McDonald’s and our Owner/Operators are committed to meeting them where they are by providing resources and support, in addition to scholarships.”

In a recent study conducted by McDonald’s, of Black college students, findings reveal that three in four respondents struggle with symptoms of anxiety or depression. More than 72 percent of those participants in the survey shared that while they would have liked to speak to a mental health professional, they did not. Forty-six percent disclosed that it was difficult to find a mental health professional that they felt comfortable talking with.

“Inclusivity and representation in mental health are so important. But barriers to access, which are typically financial, make these resources unattainable for many,” continued Marah Lidey, co-founder and co-CEO of Shine. “This partnership is a powerful opportunity to break down some of these walls, not just for McDonald’s scholarship recipients, but for Black students across the country.”

With the Shine partnership, the 2021 scholarship recipients will receive lifetime app memberships as well as the option to offer one to a friend. Additionally, 1,400 scholarship applicants will gain access to a one-year membership of the app courtesy of McDonald’s.

Click here for more on how to apply for the McDonald’s Black & Positively Golden Scholarship Program.

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