Thanks to Gucci, 22 lucky students in North America will get some help paying their college tuition.
The Italian luxury brand today revealed the names of the 2021 class of its Gucci Changemakers North America Scholars program. The students will each receive an academic scholarship for up to $20,000, as well as mentorship and virtual internship opportunities through Gucci America.
Of the 450 students who applied for the Scholarship funding, only 22 were selected. They are: Akin White, freshman, Norfolk State University; Ar’Myiah Lee, freshman, Parsons School of Design; Brianna Bryson, freshman, Howard University; Clayson Fletcher, junior, Humber College; Diana McCready, junior, Bard College; Jeffrey McCready, sophomore, Rhode Island School of Design; Keith Herron, junior, Fordham University; Yetunde Sapp, junior, Parsons School of Design; Zahri Jackson, senior, New York University; Zuri Duarte, junior, The University of California – Los Angeles; Aboubacar Barrie, sophomore, Georgia Institute of Technology; Beatrice Alisme, sophomore, Miami Dade College; Dinasty Ly, senior, Fashion Institute of Technology; Elijah Huggins-English, sophomore, Fashion Institute of Technology; Matthew Williams, sophomore, Kent State University; Mikaela Mosley, senior, Howard University; Quinten Clifford, freshman, Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising; John Davillier, freshman, University of Southern California; Lacey Garza, freshman, Kingsborough Community College; Kevin Ngo, freshman, City College of San Francisco, and repeat recipient Miles Richards, sophomore, College for Creative Studies.
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“We are honored to announce the selection of these talented and creative students from all backgrounds and regions in North America,” said Antoine Phillips, vice president of brand and culture engagement at Gucci. “They represent HBCUs, community colleges, fashion schools and non-fashion schools alike. Their diverse points of view embody the future of not only fashion, but creative industries as a whole. We look forward to engaging with all of our scholars over the coming months ahead.”
In addition, Gucci has selected D’on Lauren Edwards, senior, Savannah College of Art and Design as the recipient of the Gucci North America Changemakers x CFDA Scholars by Design award, created to support one female-identifying person of color who is starting their final year of a fashion design program at an accredited four-year undergraduate college or university. The scholarship is a $20,000 one-year award.
This 2021 class of recipients join Gucci’s Changemakers community, which includes the inaugural 2020 Changemakers class of recipients using the funding to pursue fashion and creative arts degrees at 14 North American schools.
Miles Richards, a 2020 and 2021 Gucci Changemakers Scholar, said, “After being granted the opportunity to be one of the recipients of the Gucci Changemakers Scholars award, I found an unbelievable amount of stress taken off my shoulders. And without a shadow of a doubt, the program provided me with the creative freedom to express myself without the burden of tuition during my first year as an art major.”
All awardees will have the opportunity to participate in the Gucci Program for Scholars, a six-week-long virtual summer program where students learn about fashion career paths, partake in skill-building workshops and engage with all departments at Gucci North America. The next round of applications for the Gucci North America Changemakers Scholarship Program will open in fall 2021.
In February, Gucci awarded its second round of 15 nonprofit recipients up to $50,000 for a one-year funding cycle. The fund launched in 2019 to award $1 million annually to support community organizations focused on increasing inclusion and diversity in various communities and cities.