Two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) football teams – the Howard University Bison and Morehouse College Maroon Tigers – will face off at MetLife Stadium on Sept. 17, 2022, at 3:00 p.m. Eastern.
This event will bring together HBCU students, parents and alumni and help raise awareness of and celebrate the vital role HBCUs play in increasing economic mobility and fostering student success.
MetLife’s sponsorship of the game builds on its, and MetLife Foundation’s, history of supporting thousands of students at HBCUs through partnerships with the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF).
“We are honored that this match-up of HBCU schools is being held at MetLife Stadium,” said Mike Zarcone, head of Corporate Affairs for MetLife and chairman of MetLife Foundation. «Equitable access to education is critical to building a more confident future and sponsoring this event underscores MetLife and MetLife Foundation’s ongoing commitment to supporting underserved and underrepresented communities, which includes setting HBCU students up for success.”
“It was important that we held this event at an iconic stadium in the Northeast that was also central to many HBCU alumni in the tri-state area,” said Derick Moore, founder and chairman of HBCU Tools for School Foundation. “As a sponsor, MetLife is helping to support our HBCU initiative with Tools for School Foundation, which will finance both scholarships and technology tools for HBCU students this year.”
MetLife has supported HBCU students since 1946 through its partnership with UNCF. Earlier this year, MetLife Foundation made its latest commitment to the organization, a $1 million grant to help finance scholarships at HBCUs through the MetLife Foundation Legacy Endowment Scholarship.
This program complements the MetLife Foundation Scholarship Fund – a UNCF program established in 2020 to support African American students majoring in business, accounting or finance at HBCUs.
Additionally, MetLife Foundation, as part of a $250,000 grant to TMCF, is supporting Black students who wish to become teachers through TMCF’s Teacher Quality and Retention program.
The program, launched this year, helps students through mentorship, coaching, emotional learning and STEM-based programs.
The two teams playing in the Toyota HBCU New York Football Classic presented by Walmart, Morehouse College and Howard University, are UNCF and TMCF member schools, respectively.
Continued support of HBCU students is one way MetLife and MetLife Foundation will make progress toward MetLife’s 2030 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commitments.
During the Sept. 17 broadcast on CNBC, MetLife will share the inspiring story of Mallori King, a current HBCU student and recipient of a MetLife Foundation scholarship through UNCF. The video segment can be seen here.