Morris Brown graduates get surprise gifts from Recording Academy, Amazon Music and The Same House
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Posted By: S. Moore on May 22, 2023 The class of 2023 is the first to graduate since the historically Black college regained its accreditation in 2022. The 141-year-old college lost its accreditation in 2002 when a former president and financial aid director misappropriated funds. Nzinga Shaw, chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer for the Recording Academy, delivered the commencement address to 18 graduating students, and dozens of well-wishers including co-owner of the Atlanta Hawks Grant Hill, and his wife, Grammy-nominated R&B artist Tamia Hill, who received an honorary doctorate in music during the ceremony held at Big Bethel AME Church on Auburn Avenue. “You have the power of restoration, to renew yourself and to invigorate your communities,” Shaw said. She surprised the class by announcing a series of gifts they would receive, including business training from music industry leaders, access to Grammy-Award winning artists, and funding for graduate studies. “The value [of the gifts] is priceless,” Shaw said. Amazon Music and the Recording Academy, which puts on the Grammy Awards, will host a half-day seminar giving the graduates a behind-the-scenes look at the music business. The seminar will take place June 17 at the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center at Morehouse College. Facilitators will include Justin “Henny Tha Bizness” Henderson, president of the Recording Academy Atlanta chapter, and Frankie Yaptinchay, senior project manager and head of audience development and creative partnerships for Amazon Music. After the music business seminar, later that evening, graduates will get a chance to see what they learned in action at the annual ATL Birthday Bash concert at State Farm Arena. These are “lessons not taught in a classroom,” Shaw said during an interview with Atlanta Business Chronicle. The Same House established a $50,000 endowment at Morris Brown in honor of this year’s commencement. The graduates can access a portion of the funds to help pay for additional education if they choose to pursue another degree. “The fact that Morris Brown is back is a big deal,” said Rodney Bullard, CEO of The Same House. “This may be the first step [for the graduates], but it is not the terminal step,” Bullard added, telling the Chronicle that his hope is for others will add to the endowment. Each of the graduates will also receive tickets to the 2023 Beloved Benefit on Aug. 24 at the Georgia World Congress Center. During the event, they will be honored on stage, and also have a chance to spend time with the event’s headliner, singer-songwriter John Legend. “We are gifting you tools that many in the industry didn’t get. We want you to be two steps ahead of the pack,” said Shaw, who also received an honorary doctorate in humane letters during the commencement exercises. SOURCE Atlanta Business Chronicle If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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