Baltimore Ravens Owner Steve Bisciotti has opened up a $4 million scholarship fund for students attending historically Black colleges and universities in Maryland. Biscotti opened up the scholarship fund in honor of former Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome, who championed diversity in NFL front officers and on the field.
“It gives me this great feeling for the next 30 years that I’m going to be running into accomplished people all over Baltimore and Maryland and they’re going to introduce themselves as Ozzie Newsome Scholars,” Biscotti said.
“It’s like I’m planting a seed that will flourish.”
While Newsome did not attend an HBCU, a number of HBCU graduates have impacted his life. According to the Ravens executive vice president, all of his elementary school teachers graduated from HBCUs. Both of his daughters graduated from HBCUs and his brother played football at Alabama A&M.
“It’s such a gracious thing that [Bisciotti] and [his wife] Renee are doing. It still hasn’t resonated with me today because it has such a far-reaching impact on those students and the community of Baltimore,” Newsome explained.
The Ozzie Newsome Scholarship Program will open up in 2023. Each year for for four years, 20 scholars will be selected to join the program. In total, the $4 million scholarship fund will support 80 students. All Baltimore City School District graduates who attend a historically Black college or university in the state of Maryland will be eligible. More information regarding the application process will be shared in the coming months.
The Stephen and Renee Bisciotti Foundation is honoring Ozzie Newsome with a $4 million gift in his name to Maryland’s HBCUs.
The donation establishes the Ozzie Newsome Scholars Program, funding scholarships for Baltimore City public school graduates.
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— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) June 3, 2021
