George Lucas, Wife, Invest $10 Million In Latino, African American Education

Filmmaker George Lucas and his wife Mellody Hobson gave $10 million in support of African American and Latino student education at the University of Southern California."Hispanic and African American storytellers are underrepresented in the entertainment industry,” Lucas said in a statement. “It is Mellody’s and my privilege to provide this assistance to qualified students who want to contribute their unique experience and talent to telling their stories.”

The gift will establish the George Lucas Foundation Endowed Student Support Fund for Diversity, which will provide financial support for these minority students enrolled at USC's School of Cinematic Arts.“George Lucas and Mellody Hobson are inspiring leaders in their fields, and tremendous friends to the USC community,” said USC President C. L. Max Nikias. “This gift will nurture the next generation of artists, supporting scholarships that enhance access in the cinematic arts, while bringing new and diverse voices and stories into our lives.”

The first recipients of the scholarships will be awarded for the fall 2016 semester.