The National Basketball Retired Players Association is opening up their fourth edition of their HBCU Scholarship, providing $10,000 scholarships to five students.
The NBRPA created the program in 2020 as a part of the Legends Care initiative in remembrance of the HBCU legends particularly within the NBA, ABA, and WNBA. Since then, five students at various HBCUs have applied and secured vital scholarship funds to help advance their college careers.
“We are honored to be able to provide our platform to this legacy program and assist in developing future global leaders and in continuing the rich history of HBCU contributions to our society,” said NBRPA President and CEO Scott Rochelle. “As a second generation HBCU graduate, this program, now in its fourth year, is much more than a scholarship. It represents our efforts to provide support for HBCU institutions and ensure that these extraordinary students have access to the substantial and multifaceted resources offered through our Legends Scholars program throughout their collegiate careers and beyond.”
The application period opened on Monday, April 1, and will remain available to students until Wednesday, May 15. As previously mentioned, a multitude of students across HBCUs and graduation years have become “Legends Scholars.” For the 2023 class, students from Albany State, Edward Waters, Arkansas Pine-Bluff, Howard, and Tennessee State secured the $10,000 award.
To apply for the scholarship, students must be a rising sophomore or higher, a U.S. citizen, carry a 3.7 GPA, and have an annual household income lower than $100,000. Students only need to submit an income tax return or FAFSA report, one letter of recommendation, and a transcript.
Legend Scholars also get a number of perks outside of the funds. They receive access to internship and job opportunities with associated companies, members to the Legends Scholars job board, and a free trip to the NBA All-Star Weekend.
Some of the Legend Scholars partner companies include Amazon, Google, Pepsi, Gatorade, the National Basketball Players Association, the Basketball Hall of Fame, and Purdue University. In their senior year, students can participate in a career development session, and after graduation, they will enter the Legends Scholars Mentoring Program.
Dave DeBusschere, Dave Bing, Archie Clark, Dave Cowens, and Oscar Robertson founded the NBRPA in 1992. Currently, Charles Smith, Shawn Marion, Nancy Lieberman, C.J. Kupec, Spencer Haywood, Eddie Gill, Rushia Brown, Bob Elliot, Mike Bantom, Caron Butler, Clarence Brown, and Dave Bing sit on the Board of Directors.
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