To celebrate the one-year anniversary of her critically acclaimed visual album "Lemonade," Beyoncé announced in April that four "Formation scholars" would be awarded $25,000 scholarships. Bria Paige of Atlanta's Spelman College is one of those four.
The rising junior was selected from a group of eligible women studying creative arts, music, literature or African-American studies. Applicants had to write a short essay stating how "Lemonade" inspired their educational goals and to have maintained at least a 3.5 grade-point average.
Paige is a native of Jackson, Miss. At Spelman, she studies English and is highly involved on campus, including acting as co-president of the English Club, secretary of academic affairs for the Spelman Student Government Association, member of the Ethel Waddell Githii Honors Program, Alpha Lambda Delta Honors Society, and is a Dean's List scholar.
She is also a 2017 United Negro College Fund Mellon Mays undergraduate fellow. After college, Paige plans to pursue a doctorate in English literature and Black feminist scholarship.
According to the website, the Formation Scholars program "encourages and supports young women who are bold, creative, conscious, confident and unafraid to think outside the box."
Paige's mother tweeted about her daughter's award on Thursday:
"@mitzipaige: Extremely proud of my daughter, @bria_elayne who was selected as one of Beyonce's Formation scholars today!! Thanks Beyoncé!!"
Students at the Berkelee College of Music, Howard University and the Parsons School of Design were also awarded a scholarship.
