ATLANTA – NBA veteran George Lynch, along with Atlanta business entrepreneur Tracey Pennywell, is launching a national computer campaign to support student-athletes who attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
The COVID-19 virus has forced colleges and universities to shut down nationwide. Millions of students are forced into “distance learning” programs. For many minority students, working online may be a challenge, they lack up-to-date laptops and even WIFI in their homes to continue with their at-home curriculum.
“I’ve witnessed dozens of student-athletes scramble during this pandemic to get laptops to take home,” says George Lynch, former NBA player and head coach of Clark Atlanta University’s men’s basketball team. “Many of them were using school resources and now they have to find their own. Some are even going back to homes where there isn’t WiFi to support their school work. Something has to be done to assist them.”
Lynch and Pennywell joined forces to launch HBCU Heroes. A nonprofit that raises the bar and funding for HBCU athletic programs. “Our goal is to ensure ALL HBCU athletes have the resources to help them compete academically and athletically, says Tracy Pennywell, co-founder of HBCU Heroes. “We want them to have exposure and opportunities.”
By providing students with computers during digital learning, the organization assists with:
- Increasing academic performance so students don’t fall behind risking eligibility.
- Increasing retention/graduation rates by removing this barrier to online education for as long as needed.
- Decreasing the educational divide by providing access to updated computers for online courses which many students & their parents otherwise could not afford.
“We are asking for HBCU alumni, philanthropists, professional athletes, corporations, organizations, etc. to donate to HBCU Heroes so we can purchase and provide as many laptops as possible to support these students. Our goal is to giveaway 6,000 computers nationwide,” adds Lynch.
To become a community partner in this initiative or more info visit HBCU Heroes.
This story originally appeared on North Dallas Gazette.
