UPDATE: On Wednesday (June 29), The Recording Academy’s Black Music Collective and partner Amazon Music announced that Jayden Ahmad Potts, Amir Duke, Jasmine Gordon and Zsana Hoskins are this year’s recipients of the “Your Future Is Now” scholarship. The program is designed to give students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) the opportunity to learn and explore all facets of the music industry.
The Academy noted in a statement: “This diverse group of students represent four schools, four stages of their higher education journey, and four different areas of interest in the music industry. Ahmad Potts is a freshman at Jackson State University, interested in sound engineering and producing; Duke is a senior at Morehouse College interested in management and A&R; Gordon is a sophomore at Spelman College interested in music marketing; and Hoskins is a junior at Howard University interested in music journalism and programming.”
Are you a student at a HBCU pursuing a bachelor’s degree in music, music business, business administration, marketing, communications, or a related field? Do you have at least a 3.0 GPA? Could you use a $10,000 grant? This just may be your lucky day.
The Recording Academy’s Black Music Collective (BMC) and Amazon Music are re-teaming on their Your Future Is Now scholarship program for the second year. The program seeks to provide select students at HBCUs (historically Black colleges and universities) the opportunity to learn and explore all facets of the music industry.
First launched in February 2021, the program offers select HBCU students networking opportunities with members of the music industry, including an immersive rotation program with Amazon Music and Recording Academy department leads. This year, the BMC will select four students (up from three last year) currently enrolled at a HBCU for the program. Each will receive a $10,000 scholarship.
The BMC and Amazon Music will also award two HBCUs a $10,000 grant each for equipment for their music programs.
“Our commitment to show up for the next generation of Black talent and create pathways for them to succeed continues with the return of the Your Future Is Now scholarship,” Rico Love, vice chair of the Recording Academy’s Board of Trustees and BMC chair, said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to bring back this program with Amazon Music that creates invaluable mentorship opportunities for students as they begin their careers in the music industry.”
“We are honored to continue collaborating with the Recording Academy’s Black Music Collective,” Ryan Redington, vice president of music industry at Amazon Music, added.
The scholarship application goes live on Thursday (May 12). The deadline to apply is Friday June 10 at 5:00 pm PT/8:00 pm ET. Recipients will be notified on or before June 13.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents; currently enrolled, in good standing, at a HBCU, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in music, music business, business administration, marketing, communications, or a related field; and have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or its equivalent).
Applicants must also upload the following documents: a current and complete transcript of grades; a personal statement (300-500 words); a creative video (three minutes maximum); and a signed letter of recommendation from a professor or music industry mentor on official letterhead with contact information.
The personal statements should address “your college goals and choice of major, what you intend to do with your education, and why a scholarship is important to you. Include any academic and non-academic accomplishments, personal characteristics, or experiences that make you uniquely worthy of scholarship consideration.”
The 2021 scholarship recipients were Akeal Evans (Morehouse College senior), Jawan Davidson (North Carolina Central University senior) and Nyah Hardmon (Howard University junior).
The Recording Academy’s BMC and GRAMMY U will host conversations so interested parties can more about this opportunity and hear personal accounts from past winners.
May 21
Instagram Live – @recordingacademy
Instagram Live – @blackmusiccollective, @GRAMMYU
June 8
Instagram Live – @blackmusiccollective, @GRAMMYU
Twitter Space – @RecordingAcad
Email any other questions to: infohbcufuturesnow@recordingacademy.com. For complete instructions and to apply, visit here.