Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack Foundation has opened scholarship applications for HBCU students facing financial challenges. This is the rapper’s second year supporting HBCUs, representing a tenfold increase over last year’s efforts.
The rapper’s scholarship program is called the Waymon Webster Scholarship Fund. It is geared towards assisting Black students who have achieved academic excellence (averaging 3.5 GPA or more) but are facing financial hardship in their second semester of senior year. According to the rapper’s website, the fund was created to help these students graduate on time and avoid being in danger of not graduating.
This scholarship is named after Travis Scott’s grandfather, Waymon Webster, an HBCU educator who taught at Prairie View A&M University in Texas. The rapper’s family also has a long history with HBCUs, as both his parents and his sister went to HBCUs.
100 students have been chosen to receive scholarships from the Waymon Webster Scholarship Fund. They are all from 38 different HBCUs across the country, and they each received $10,000 in grants.
Making Amends
These scholarships are part of Travis’ Project HEAL initiative, launched a few months after the Astroworld tragedy in November 2021. The initiative will provide mental health resources, including free crisis-care hotlines.
The Houston native has been trying to mend the rift between his fans and himself after the tragic event that claimed 10 lives and left hundreds injured. Recently, he stepped back into the spotlight with a Billboard Music Awards performance and a nightclub appearance in Miami.
In the meantime, Scott has continued to focus on various initiatives, including his Cactus Jack Foundation, launched last year to help young people in his home city of Houston. The organization has launched several programs, including the Waymon Webster Scholarship and a community garden in his hometown.
Earlier this week, Scott announced that he would donate $1 million to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) this year. This donation will help ensure 100 students can walk across the stage and receive their diplomas this spring.
In a generous gesture, Scott’s Cactus Jack Foundation has allocated a donation that includes $1 million in scholarships granted to HBCU seniors who are currently progressing towards their graduation in 2022. The foundation said the funds would go to HBCU students who finished their final semester with at least a 3.5 GPA.
Travis Scott’s Background
Scott, born Jacques Berman Webster II, has always supported HBCUs, and this donation is just another step in his long-term commitment to the cause. The rapper also has a history of donating to other nonprofits, including those focusing on education and mental health, as well as the Houston Housing Authority.
“My grandfather was a dean at an HBCU, and I believe that education should be available to everyone who wants it,” the rapper said in a press release. “He made it his mission to ensure that people from disadvantaged backgrounds have access to quality education. It’s a noble cause that I’m very proud to support.
