Gucci reveals 2021 Changemakers Scholars

By

Robin Driver

Published
Jul 11, 2021

Italian luxury brand Gucci has announced the names of the 22 fashion students who have been selected as the second round of recipients of Gucci North America Changemaker Scholarships.

 
A $1.5 million fund spread over four years, the Gucci North America Changemakers Scholarship seeks to provide financing to diverse young people pursuing careers in fashion through courses at undergraduate colleges and universities. As well as an academic scholarship of up to $20,000, students selected for the program receive mentorship and virtual internship opportunities through Gucci America.
 
From 450 applicants to the program, 22 have been selected for 2021, including freshmen, juniors, sophomores and seniors.

This year’s scholars are Akin White, Norfolk State University; Ar’Myiah Lee, Parsons School of Design; Brianna Bryson, Howard University; Clayson Fletcher, Humber College; Diana McCready, Bard College; Jeffrey McCready, Rhode Island School of Design; Keith Herron, Fordham University; Miles Richards, College for Creative Studies; Yetunde Sapp, Parsons School of Design; Zahri Jackson, New York University; Zuri Duarte, The University of California – Los Angeles; Aboubacar Barrie, Georgia Institute of Technology; Beatrice Alisme, Miami Dade College; Dinasty Ly, Fashion Institute of Technology; Elijah Huggins-English, Fashion Institute of Technology; Matthew Williams, Kent State University; Mikaela Mosley, Howard University; Quinten Clifford, Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising; John Davillier, University of Southern California; Lacey Garza, Kingsborough Community College, and Kevin Ngo, City College of San Francisco.
 
Gucci also announced that, as part of the Changemakers initiative, Savannah College of Art and Design senior D’on Lauren Edwards has been selected as the Gucci North America Changemakers x CFDA Scholar by Design. This scholarship supports one woman of color with one year of funding totaling $20,000.
 
Commenting on the importance of the Changemakers program in a release, College for Creative Studies sophomore Miles Richards, who was selected as a Gucci Changemakers Scholar in both 2020 and 2021, said, “After being granted the opportunity to be one of the recipients of the Gucci Changemakers Scholars award, I found an unbelievable amount of stress taken off my shoulders.”
 
“And without a shadow of a doubt, the program provided me with the creative freedom to express myself without the burden of tuition during my first year as an art major,” he added.
 
Applications for the next round of the Gucci North America Changemakers Scholarship Program open in fall 2021.