Santa Monica-based Universal Music Group announced Monday it has established the Berry Gordy Music Industry Scholarship at UCLA's Herb Alpert School of Music to support high-potential students in the school's music industry program.
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The scholarship builds on last year's launch of the UCLA Berry Gordy Music Industry Center, a hub dedicated to research, teaching and community engagement around the global music business, according to UCLA officials.
Gordy, 95, is the legendary music producer and entrepreneur who founded Motown Records, the iconic label that launched the careers of artists like Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye.
Each year, a student demonstrating exceptional promise and financial need will be named a Berry Gordy Scholar and receive funding toward tuition, housing and other educational expenses, officials said. Recipients will also play an active role in the life and mission of the center.
"For more than 65 years, Berry Gordy's name has been synonymous with artistry and the transformative power of music," Sir Lucian Grainge, Universal Music Group Chairman & CEO, said in a statement. "Through this scholarship, UMG is honoring his enduring legacy by investing in a new generation of young people who will help carry that spirit forward."
According to Universal Music Group, the scholarship aligns with UMG's ongoing Sounds of the Future campaign, which supports initiatives amplifying Black creativity, preserving cultural heritage and ensuring equity in the music business.
"I am thrilled that my friend Sir Lucian Grainge and Universal Music Group have committed to support this program with their endowment that will help open doors for many more students and continue to pave the way for music to be a force for good and change," Gordy said in a statement.
"The center provides vital opportunities for students at UCLA to help prepare for careers in the music industry, so that future generations of young talent will continue to innovate, inspire and bring together culture and communities through the power of music."
UMG officials said its Sounds of the Future campaign this year has included donations to nonprofits such as Roots of Music in New Orleans and Girls Make Beats in Los Angeles, as well as a career immersion program with Interscope Records in Chicago and an immersive art installation at UMG's Santa Monica headquarters exploring the continuum of Black music through sampling.
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