John Legend is helping 50 college students with off-campus housing costs through a new rent-assistance program serving three HBCUs and his alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania.
According to a press release from Bilt, Legend partnered for their October Rent Day program. Students at Morehouse College, Central State University, Wilberforce University and the University of Pennsylvania can apply for housing support through the initiative.
Scholarship America says selected students will receive one-time, need-based awards of $850 for off-campus housing expenses. Applicants must be enrolled at one of the four schools, live off campus, receive need-based aid and be experiencing housing insecurity that could affect their enrollment.
Bilt says it will help cover rent for 50 students across the four universities, which Legendpersonally selected. Morehouse, Central State and Wilberforce are historically Black colleges and universities. Penn is where Legend attended college after leaving Ohio.
Legend has said housing costs are personal to him because he paid his own rent while attending Penn. He lived off campus for three years, held a work-study job and worked at a church to help cover expenses.
“Education has always been such an important thing for me,” Legend said in the programannouncement. He said college helped set him up for life and noted that many students now face housing instability while trying to stay enrolled.
Applications for the Bilt + John Legend Scholarship for Student Housing Security opened Sept. 25 and close Oct. 8 at 4 p.m. ET, or earlier if all available awards are distributed. Scholarship America is administering the program.
Bilt members can also donate points to Scholarship America through the October Rent Day campaign, with the company saying all donated points will go to the nonprofit.
