Stars Who Fund Scholarships or Schools

Some celebrity philanthropy is built around one-time gifts.

Education philanthropy often goes further. It can fund scholarships, build schools, support classrooms, create college pathways, or help students who might otherwise struggle to afford opportunity.

LeBron James

LeBron James has made education central to his public giving.

Through the LeBron James Family Foundation, his work includes the I PROMISE School in Akron, Ohio, an Akron Public School built around students who need extra academic and family support. His foundation also created college scholarship pathways connected to the University of Akron for qualifying I PROMISE students.

Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey has one of the most visible celebrity education projects in the world.

The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa operates as a school with a scholarship program for selected students. Her foundation also runs the Oprah Winfrey Leaders Scholarship program, which supports academically gifted students who show leadership in their communities.

Rihanna

Rihanna’s Clara Lionel Foundation has supported education through global initiatives.

The foundation has worked across the Caribbean, East Africa, and the U.S. South, and Rihanna previously launched a global scholarship program offering support for students from countries including Barbados, Brazil, Cuba, Haiti, Guyana, Jamaica, and the United States.

Beyoncé

Beyoncé’s BeyGOOD foundation has made education one of its core pillars.

BeyGOOD says it supports young people and expands access to education through scholarships around the world. Her Homecoming Scholars Award Program also expanded to multiple HBCUs, including UNCF member institutions.

Jay-Z

Jay-Z’s Shawn Carter Foundation focuses directly on college access.

Its National Scholarship Fund supports qualifying students with multi-year assistance that can help cover tuition, transportation, food, books, and other education-related needs. The foundation states that each qualifying student can receive up to $15,000 from admission to graduation.

Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton’s education giving is strongly tied to early literacy.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library mails free books to children from birth to age five in participating areas, with funding shared by Dolly Parton and local community partners. The program began in 1995 in her home county in East Tennessee.

Shakira

Shakira founded Fundación Pies Descalzos, an education-focused organization in Colombia.

The foundation supports children and youth through education initiatives and has built or supported school spaces in Colombia, Haiti, and South Africa.

Chance the Rapper

Chance the Rapper made headlines for supporting Chicago Public Schools.

In 2017, he announced a $1 million donation to Chicago Public Schools for arts and enrichment programs. He later announced additional funding through efforts connected to SocialWorks and the New Chance Arts and Literature Fund.

Dr. Dre

Dr. Dre helped fund a major university program with Jimmy Iovine.

In 2013, the two gave $70 million to establish the USC Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy for Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation. The academy was designed for students working across business, technology, design, and the arts.

Pitbull

Pitbull has put education at the center of his public work through SLAM.

The SLAM Foundation says Armando Christian Pérez, known as Pitbull, opened the first SLAM school in Miami in 2012. The organization supports tuition-free public charter schools in underrepresented communities and serves students across multiple states.

will.i.am

will.i.am’s i.am Angel Foundation supports education through scholarships and STEAM programs.

The i.am Scholarship program has awarded more than $1 million to students in need of financial support, according to the foundation. The foundation also supports college access and STEAM opportunities, including robotics programs.

Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington has supported theater education at Fordham University.

Fordham says Washington established the Denzel Washington Endowed Scholarship Fund in 2011. The university also reported that he gave $2 million to endow a theater chair and $250,000 to create the scholarship fund for theater students.

Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj has helped students with tuition and college costs through her “Student of the Game” efforts.

The Recording Academy reported that Minaj awarded 37 college scholarships, with funding directed toward tuition payments or loan repayment. Earlier public efforts also included direct help for students who showed proof of strong grades and financial need.

Eva Longoria

Eva Longoria’s foundation supports Latinas through education and entrepreneurship.

The Eva Longoria Foundation says it supports solutions that accelerate economic opportunity, civic participation, and cultural influence. Public profiles of the foundation describe its focus on education, mentorship, scholarships, and entrepreneurship for Latinas.

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift has made several education-related donations over the years.

One widely reported example was her $50,000 donation to New York City public schools from proceeds connected to “Welcome to New York.” More recently, she donated $250,000 to Operation Breakthrough, a Kansas City educational center.

Tyler Perry

Tyler Perry’s philanthropy has included education and student support through The Perry Foundation.

The foundation says its focus areas include education and technology, along with health, clean water, arts, culture, and economic development. Perry’s team has also publicly highlighted support for local students, including school supplies for Southwest Atlanta students.

George Lucas

George Lucas belongs in this conversation because of education through storytelling, art, and public access.

His Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is built around visual storytelling, with collections spanning illustration, comics, photography, cinema art, and other forms. While it is not a traditional scholarship program, the museum’s public mission adds an educational institution to his long creative legacy.

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