Berklee to Present Female Student with Beyoncé’s Formation Scholars Award

Berklee alumna Rie Tsuji B.M. '02 performs at the 10-year anniversary concert of Beyoncé’s original all-female band. Image by Kelly Davidson

This fall, Berklee will deliver a Beyoncé Knowles-Carter Formation Scholars Award to an incoming or continuing female undergraduate or graduate student studying at one of Berklee's campuses (in Valencia, Spain or Boston, Massachusetts) or online. The Formation Scholars Award encourages and supports young women who are unafraid to think outside the box and are bold, creative, conscientious, and confident. The application will be made available for students on May 1, and is open to those studying at Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Berklee College of Music, and Berklee Online.

Apply by May 15

“We at Berklee love Beyoncé. As a singer, writer, producer, performer, and humanitarian, Beyoncé is a strong and inspiring role model for our students,” said Berklee President Roger H. Brown. "Her original all-female band included a current professor and two Berklee alumnae. Beyoncé’s support for a female student studying at the Valencia or Boston campus will have an impact on the global music industry, and further Beyoncé’s own mission of artistic excellence and innovative business practices that have made her the most compelling artist of the 21st century.”

The Formation Scholars award is a $25,000 scholarship available to female students studying music, creative arts, literature, or African American studies at the four selected institutions, which also include Spelman College, Howard University, and Parsons School of Design. Along with their applications, students must submit a short essay stating how Beyoncé's album Lemonade inspired their educational goals. All deadlines for entries will be set by the colleges, and each college will provide the application forms for candidates.

Berklee recently hosted a 10-year anniversary celebration of Beyoncé’s original all-female band at the Berklee Performance Center as part of its Signature Series. The concert featured Berklee alumni and faculty who have toured with Beyoncé, including Tia Fuller, a professor in Berklee's Ensemble Department, Nikki Glaspie '04, Rie Tsuji B.M. '02, and Beyoncé dancer Ebony Williams '05.