Nine Lincoln University students are graduating without debt thanks to one NBA superstar.
Kyrie Irving, point guard for the Brooklyn Nets took the giving spirit to the next level last month when he paid the tuition of nine graduating HBCU students through his organization, KAI Family Foundation, according to Black Enterprise.
The gift was a part of the foundation’s 11 Days of Giving in December with the No. 11 representing Irving’s jersey number for the Brooklyn Nets.
For Lincoln University, the gift came just on the heels of another generous gift from philanthropist and author, MacKenzie Scott, who gave $20 million to the university along with several donations to other HBCUs across the country.
Located in Chester County, Pennsylvania, Lincoln University was founded in 1854 and is credited as the first HBCU to ever grant degrees, Black Enterprise reports.
This isn’t the first time that Irving has been generous with his blessings. During the summer, Irving committed $1.5 million to WNBA players who made the decision not to play due to their fear of the coronavirus pandemic and to make a stand for social justice in the wake of the murder of George Floyd.
“Whether a person decided to fight for social justice, play basketball focus on physical or mental health, or simply connect with their families, this initiative can hopefully support their priorities and decisions,” said Irving at the time of his donation.
Irving also teamed up with Feeding America and Lineage Logistics to donate meals to those in need during the pandemic, Black Enterprise reports.
Now, thanks to Irving, these HBCU students can enter the real-world without the stress of paying off their tuition.
Here’s the video of Kyrie Irving telling the nine students at the HBCU Lincoln University that he was paying for their tuition via the KAI Family Foundation: pic.twitter.com/Ca3qssJvXA
— Alex Schiffer (@Alex__Schiffer) December 31, 2020