College football is finally in full swing, and with the tailgates and longtime rivalries, HBCU students and graduates everywhere are remembering why they love their alma maters. The tradition behind these events is incredible, and although the main events for football season happen between field goal posts, some of the most memorable moments come while partaking in huge tailgates full of fans who might come from different circumstances, but share one thing in common — a pride for their school But, for many, finding resources to pay for college is a barrier that’s nearly impossible to overcome. Secondary education is expensive — and although community and state colleges offer lower prices, they’re still steep for anyone who doesn’t have a plethora of money in savings. And if you’re hoping to attend a private school or an HBCU, the struggle can be real to get enough money to fund your dreams. But through scholarships and grants, students are able to get the financial support they need to support their goals and grow their skills. And there are organizations, such as Coors Light, that have been committed to helping HBCU students afford school for more than 30 years.
You’ve probably heard of the Southern Heritage Classic in Memphis, the Magic City Classic in Birmingham, the Florida Classic in Orlando and the Bayou Classic in New Orleans. These are four of the largest HBCU football classics that bring together fans, communities and family together for a weekend full of fun. Even beyond the game and the tailgates, each of the cities that hold the events has its own special charm and flavor. These four traditional football games bring communities together, but they also provide scholarships to students in need.
Coors Light donates $10,000 to all of the participating schools in these Classics. They’re more than just football games and tailgating — they contribute to the essential network of supporting students in their pursuit of secondary education. And over the past decade alone, that donation exceeds $1 million total in scholarships — which has directly impacted the lives, opportunities and access presented to students of color.
But despite misconceptions about minorities and scholarships, minorities are actually less likely to receive college scholarships (despite making up about a third of the applicants). Caucasian students receive 72 percent of all scholarships, while minority students receive about 28 percent according to Mark Kantrowitz, author and publisher on Fastweb.com and Finaid.org.
So organizations that are actively engaging with minority students through the HBCU community are helping to engage with students who might otherwise be overlooked or excluded from the opportunity to secure scholarships to attend school.
Even beyond these scholarships, MillerCoors, Coors Light’s parent company is a founding corporate sponsor of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, a major contributor to HBCUs. The fund provides scholarships to help students not only get to school, but to stay through graduation.
They also provide programs that train future leaders to excel through their leadership institute. Global initiatives open up new opportunities on an international level, and overall there are so many job opportunities made available for HBCU students through the MillerCoors Sales Management program.
So get out there and cheer on your favorite team! And find pride in the fact that you’ll be having a good time and supporting students along the way. If you want to partake in the fun of college football and the culture of cities like Memphis, TN and support HBCU students in the process, download the Coors Light XP App in order to get into The Southern Heritage Classic tailgate on Sept. 9 for free!
Also, for attendees 21 and over, check out the post-game celebration, featuring DJ Envy, if you’re not ready to end the fun!
This post is brought to you in collaboration with Coors Light.
