WASHINGTON — Bills, bills, bills? Not anymore for Howard graduate student Maya Rogers, who is receiving a $25,000 scholarship from musician and entertainer Beyoncé.
Rogers, who is studying music therapy and will be the university’s first student to receive a certificate in the field when she graduates next year, is one of only four college students nationwide to be named a “Formation Scholar.”
Beyoncé announced the creation of the scholarship program in late April to mark the one-year anniversary of her critically acclaimed and Grammy-nominated “Lemonade” visual album. The scholarship aims to “to encourage and support young women who are unafraid to think outside the box and are bold, creative, conscious and confident.”
Rogers, who graduated with an undergraduate degree in film scoring and songwriting in 2004, is a songwriter and vocalist who became interested in the field of music therapy during her recovery from a traumatic brain injury in 2013, Howard University said in a news release. In the release, Rogers described her recovery as “the most frightening and fascinating time of her life” and credited music with helping her regain the ability to read, write and sing again.
“Maya Rogers is the quintessential Howard University student. She has a stellar academic record and is using her talents to empower others. Howard University President Wayne A.I. Frederick said in a statement.
In addition to Howard, students from four other schools were awarded scholarships. They are: Berklee College of Music in Boston; the Parsons School of Design in New York; and Spelman College in Atlanta. The program was open to female college students majoring in creative arts, music, literature or African-American studies.
