Singer visited Howard University to launch the $10,000 Get Schooled: College Affordability Challenge.By Alexandra Bradshaw
John Legend
Photo: MTV
Grammy-winning singer John Legend surprised a class at Howard University last week, when he showed up to help kick off the Get Schooled: College Affordability Challenge, calling on current and aspiring college students to propose innovative digital tools to simplify the process of finding funding for school. The singer also became the class' guest teacher for the day for an upcoming episode of mtvU's "Stand In."
"Too many of our people are still living in consistent poverty, living in a country where opportunities are not equal," Legend told the class. "Educational inequality is the reality that where a child is born, what color that child is and/or how much money that child's parents make determine the quality of his or her education and life prospects. That's not just, that's not fair, that's not right."
Legend — whose new album with the Roots, Wake Up!, is out on Tuesday — spoke of his journey toward obtaining a degree with honors from University of Pennsylvania. He praised past teachers who provided him with the support and guidance to receive a scholarship to UPenn and explained how vital scholarships were to his ability to complete college.
"I was one of the lucky ones," he said. "Too many other kids don't have those same opportunities today."
Studies have shown that upwards of 2 million college students don't apply for financial aid that is available to them each year, and that almost two thirds of students surveyed find the process of applying for financial aid difficult and time consuming. In response to these trends, MTV and the College Board Advocacy and Policy Center partnered to launch the Get Schooled: College Affordability Challenge.
"They're calling on you guys and college students nationwide to re-imagine the financial aid process," Legend explained as he announced the contest.
Students nationwide are encouraged to submit ideas for a digital tool that would connect their peers with more money for school at GetSchooled.MTV.com. The grand-prize winner will receive $10,000 and the opportunity to work with world-class design firm frog design to bring their tool to life. Applications are being accepted until December 17, 2010.
Go to GetSchooled.com for resources on college completion and to watch the "Get Schooled: You Have a Right" special, featuring President Barack Obama, LeBron James and Kelly Clarkson.
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