by Selena Hill
September 21, 2026
Stephen A. Smith Is Putting Money Behind His HBCU Mission With A New Sports Scholarship
The celebrity sports personality is expanding his HBCU advocacy from the broadcast booth into scholarships.
Stephen A. Smith is taking his support for historically Black colleges and universities from the TV screen to the bank.
The ESPN personality and Winston-Salem State University alum is launching the HBCU Week Sports Scholarship Program, a new initiative designed to provide financial support to HBCU student-athletes, reports Clutch Points. Smith is partnering with the HBCU Week Foundation and Robert O. Wright, a 20-year-old Division I student-athlete who is contributing $25,000 to the scholarship fund, according to Yahoo Sports.
The announcement comes years after Smith began a relationship with HBCU Week back in 2019. He has participated in the organization’s programming and used his ESPN platform to spotlight HBCU campuses, including Tennessee State University, Florida A&M University, Norfolk State University, Howard University, Delaware State University and his alma mater, Winston-Salem State.
The scholarship initiative also comes as Smith explores a bigge...