Universal Music Group Establishes the Berry Gordy Music Industry Scholarship

Universal Music Group (UMG), in partnership with The UCLA Foundation, has announced the establishment of the Berry Gordy Music Industry Scholarship at The Herb Alpert School of Music.

The details:

• Berry Gordy is the Founder of the Motown record label and its subsidiaries.

• The scholarship builds on the 2024 launch of The UCLA Berry Gordy Music Industry Center at the school of music, a hub dedicated to research, teaching, and community engagement and career support around the global music business.

• Each year, a student demonstrating exceptional promise and financial need will be named a Berry Gordy Scholar and receive funding towards tuition, housing, and other educational expenses.

• The recipient will also play an active role in the life and mission of the Center.

• The scholarship aligns with UMG’s ongoing Sounds of the Future campaign, which supports initiatives that amplify Black creativity, preserve cultural heritage, and ensure equality in the music business.

What they said:

• Sir Lucian Grainge, Universal Music Group Chairman & CEO: “For more than 65 years, Berry Gordy’s name has been synonymous with artistry and the transformative power of music. 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 – creators and changemakers, who will have an opportunity to reflect the innovation and entrepreneurial genius that Mr. Gordy helped bring to the world through Motown, Tamla and the pioneering sound of Detroit.”

• Berry Gordy: “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. 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.”