This archive report was first published on 19 October 2019.
Stormzy's Scholarship Boosts Black Student Admissions at Cambridge University ¶
British rapper Stormzy, born Michael Ebenazer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr, has made history by launching a scholarship program to support Black students in gaining admission to Cambridge University. The initiative has led to a significant increase in Black student admissions, earning it the nickname 'The Stormzy Effect.'
Stormzy, a Ghanaian-born British rapper, has been credited with a 50% increase in Black student admissions at Cambridge University. The rapper has been fully sponsoring 10 Black needy scholars and has been directly involved in hundreds of successful admissions.
Stormzy made history in June 2019 by becoming the first Black male solo artist to headline the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival. The 2019 Glastonbury Festival took place between 26 and 30 June, with Stormzy, The Killers, and The Cure as the headlining acts.
"I was stood arm in arm with so many people up there, I've always had a sense of duty in my career. As much as I might be the artist up there, I've risen from a community. I've been championed by the public and by my people. Every time I'm on stage like that it's because of so many different people," Stormzy said about his performance.
Stormzy's scholarship program has been hailed as a significant step towards increasing diversity at Cambridge University. The university has faced criticism in the past for its lack of representation of Black students, with statistics showing that it failed to admit a single Black Brit student at more than one in four of its colleges during 2015 and 2017.
However, the 'Stormzy Effect' has brought attention to the issue and has sparked a conversation about the need for greater diversity and inclusion in education. As one commentator noted, "Often in British culture, there has only been one or two or three Black people in the spotlight at one time. But nah, that's over now. There are so many of us that the world should hear. So when I did that, I was just thinking that I need to let people know that it's not just myself. It's not just Stormzy."
