LIU College students Declare Roc Nation Program Left Them In Debt

In accordance with stories, the vaunted partnership program between Jay-Z’s Roc Nation and LIU-Brooklyn has given its college students surprising debt and extra battle than promised. The Roc Nation Faculty of Music, Sports activities, and Leisure at LIU-Brooklyn was touted as a serious achievement when it was launched in 2021 to a lot fanfare, with some college students receiving “Hope Scholarships” for these deemed “greater want” candidates with the promise of debt-free studying. One recipient, Justice Stephenson, shared her pleasure about getting the supply. “ I bear in mind being simply usually conflicted about college after which coming throughout this college made me really feel a way of safety,” she mentioned.

Stephenson is slated to graduate this yr however informed Gothamist that she is doing so with $5,000 in debt – an quantity she negotiated down from $26,000. She’s one in all a dozen college students from this system who’ve accrued debt in quantities ranging as much as $39,000. In accordance with a former worker talking anonymously, the Roc Nation program admitted 50 college students in complete in 2021. Some college students took up sofa browsing to assist defray the price of attending, and others allege they have been guided to take out personal loans.

The group of scholars talking out additionally voiced complaints in regards to the high quality of choices that the Roc Nation Faculty promised. They mentioned they created an improvised music studio out of a former scholar radio house, which they used together with professors. One other challenge that was raised was the dearth of superstar visitor lecturers promised – Megan Thee Stallion spoke to college students, however others reminiscent of DJ Khaled, Rihanna, and the Jonas Brothers didn’t materialize.

LIU advertising chief Jackie Nealon said that the scholarship coated tuition solely. “The supply letter additionally expressly consists of that neither college charges nor housing prices are included within the scholarship,” she mentioned. The college program exhibits a change in language about this system was made in 2023 from “debt-free schooling” to a “tuition-free schooling.” Sumante Hutchinson, who claimed taking out a non-public mortgage was advised to him by an affiliate dean, has some bitterness about this system. “My dad thought it was a rip-off,” Hutchinson mentioned. “Come to search out out it sort of has been a rip-off.”