Facebook Supporting Black Community with 100,000 Scholarships

By ShaCamree Gowdy Published: July 26, 2021

Facebook Supporting Black Community with 100,000 Scholarships

FILE - In this Oct. 23, 2019, file photo, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before a House Financial Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. For years, Facebook has been in a defensive crouch amid a slew of privacy scandals, antitrust lawsuits and charges that it was letting hate speech and extremism destroy democracy. Early Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, though, it abruptly pivoted to take the offensive in Australia, where it lowered the boom on publishers and the government with a sudden decision to block news on its platform across the entire country. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

By: ShaCamree Gowdy

Facebook is looking out for Black students who want to master important digital skills by awarding 100,000 scholarships for their Facebook Certified Digital Marketing Associate Exam.

The scholarships are part of a larger effort by Facebook to support the Black community, which began after George Floyd’s death in May 2020. The corporation set aside $200 million to support their mission as part of a larger $1.1 billion supplier diversity program aimed at providing cash and services to Black-owned businesses.

A personal statement and a statement of goals are needed in the scholarship application. Once approved, applicants will receive a voucher, valid for 90 days, to cover the $99 cost of the Digital Marketing Associate certification.

The Facebook Certification will open up more job opportunities, as Facebook has partnered with more than 60 companies. They will bring certified individuals closer to companies such as Havas Media, Facebook and BBDO.

Scholarship applicants must be United States citizens and identify as Black in order to be considered.

“It is our hope that these steps will play a part in helping to close the increasingly widening skills gap so that millions of job seekers, particularly people from diverse communities, have access to more alternative, affordable, flexible and job-specific training opportunities to build their skills and prepare for the jobs of tomorrow,” Facebook said.