Robert F. Smith, who plans to pay Morehouse class’ student debt, is now helping 1,000 scholars get paid internships
Robert F. Smith, the billionaire who vowed to eliminate the student debt of Morehouse College’s Class of 2019, is still in the giving spirit. He now has plans to help 1,000 students score paid internships.
The entrepreneur created intern X, a sector of his Fund II Foundation. The program is helping "rising sophomores with at least a 2.8 GPA from ethnically underrepresented groups" land an eight-week summer internship in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
AT&T, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Deloitte, Citi and Vista Equity Partners are reportedly among the companies that have pledged to take on internX candidates.
Earlier this month, Smith shocked Morehouse graduates when he revealed he’d be paying off their student loan debt. The technology investor, who received an honorary doctorate from the HBCU, made the surprise announcement during the institution’s morning commencement. The gift has been estimated to be worth up to $40 million.
» RELATED: Morehouse commencement speaker to pay off Class of 2019's student loans
To register for internX, visit https://internx.org/register/student .
About the Author
Najja Parker is a multimedia journalist covering Black culture for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She is an engaging on-air talent, who has served as a host for the newsroom’s special projects and events, such as the movie premiere of “The South Got Something To Say,” a documentary chronicling the rise of Atlanta hip-hop.
