Michael Jordan isn't the only basketball superstar donating millions of dollars this Summer. LeBron James has reportedly donated an unprecedented $41 million to put 1,100 Ohio kids through college. FORTY ONE MILLION!
The remarkable offering is part of his partnership with the University Of Akron, in which kids enrolled in his "I Promise" program will have the opportunity to receive a fully guaranteed four-year college scholarship.
According to reports, the scholarship will cover the University's tuition as well as their general service fees- totalling approximately $9,500 annually per student.
LeBron briefly spoke about his involvement in the program while hosting an event for the kids at a local amusement park earlier this Summer.
“It’s the reason I do what I do. These students have big dreams, and I’m happy to do everything I can to help them get there. They’re going to have to earn it, but I’m excited to see what these kids can accomplish knowing that college is in their futures.”
“It means so much because, as a kid growing up in the inner city and a lot of African-American kids, you don’t really think past high school,” said James, who bypassed college to jump to the NBA. “You don’t really know your future. You hear high school all the time, and you graduate high school and then you never think past that because either it’s not possible or your family’s not financially stable to even be able to support a kid going to college.”
Students enrolled in the program will need to first graduate high school within Akron's public school system and achieve standard testing requirements, as well as fulfill some sort of community service obligation- which students will gladly do for a free ride to college.
[Via]