Wells expands support of HBCUs to 6 football games, including 2 in New Jersey

Wells Fargo announced Thursday that it will be the official banking sponsor of six upcoming football games involving Historically Black Colleges and Universities — including two in New Jersey — and provide a total of $300,000 in scholarships to the competing schools.

The first game will be Saturday, the Brick City HBCU Kickoff Classic (Hampton University vs. Grambling State), to be held at Red Bull Arena. The HBCU New York Classic (Morehouse College vs. Albany State University) will be played at MetLife Stadium on Sept. 16.

In addition to the scholarships, Wells Fargo will be offering virtual and in‑person financial workshops to equip students, alumni and the HBCU community with greater access to financial and wealth‑building tools.

Gigi Dixon, head of external engagement for diverse segments, representation and inclusion at Wells Fargo, said the bank is eager to be a part of the games.

“HBCUs nurture the success of our future leaders and create pathways to today’s leading industries, such as financial services,” she said. “Wells Fargo has a long history of supporting HBCUs, and this is another example of this work as we celebrate the HBCU legacy and excellence in sports while providing a platform for learning and growth. Investing in the HBCU community now and in the future is critically important to Wells Fargo.”

Wells Fargo will host financial workshops that address wealth and investment management, housing and mortgages, supplier diversity and elder fraud prevention. Workshops are open to all students and HBCU community members looking to advance their financial knowledge or grow their business with Wells Fargo. These efforts are part of Wells Fargo’s broader commitment to making financial education more accessible as the “Bank of Doing.”

Wells Fargo’s longstanding support of HBCUs includes the following:

• Since 2011, Wells Fargo has provided more than $39 million directly to HBCUs and to the organizations that support them, including the United Negro College Fund, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the Jackie Robinson Foundation.
• Last year, Wells Fargo also presented $200,000 in scholarships during four HBCU classics across the country; the Orange Blossom Classic, FAMU Homecoming, the Bayou Classic and the inaugural HBCU New York Classic. Wells Fargo was also announced as the official banking partner of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association as well as corporate sponsor of the Mid‑Eastern Athletic Conference, providing the company with the opportunity to support the needs of student‑athletes at all of the conference member schools.
• Wells Fargo offers the HBCU Legends Collection, which allows customers to choose their favorite HBCU image for their debit card. Customers can do this for free via the Wells Fargo Design Studio. Presently, 27 schools are represented in the collection along with three national organizations (UNCF, TMCF, and the CIAA).