STAMFORD, Conn., Oct. 19, 2021 — Cantu Beauty, an award-winning multicultural hair care brand, announced today a $150,000 investment in nontraditional students at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) across the country in partnership with UNCF (United Negro College Fund). Nontraditional college students face unique challenges to completing their college education, primarily stemming from balancing heightened family and financial obligations. Cantu will help support these students by offering a career-readiness curated content series through UNCF this fall along with awarding 15 scholarships, valued at $5,000 each, to students attending the sessions.
“Higher education is a catalyst that propels Black and brown communities forward,” said Dametria Mustin, global vice president of marketing, Cantu Beauty. “Cantu continues to remain committed to paving the way for the next generation of leaders, entrepreneurs and shapers of our community through financial support and seminars preparing nontraditional college students for success early-on in their careers.”
Nontraditional undergraduate students are a demographic not often highlighted in college brochures or highly considered when making campus-wide decisions. These students may have delayed enrollment into postsecondary education, attend college part-time, work full-time, have dependents other than a spouse and/or are single parents. Cantu and UNCF-hosted sessions surrounding the topics of learning leadership skills, building confidence and communication skills, managing work-life balance, and maintaining overall health and wellness will aide students in developing intangible skills that need to be nurtured and strengthened outside of the classroom.
“Our partnership with Cantu Beauty is unique in that they have a heart for a segment of the HBCU student population that is rapidly growing, especially amid the pandemic, as more people return to their education,” said Maurice E. Jenkins, Jr., executive vice president and chief development officer, UNCF. “Work-readiness resources and financial scholarships for nontraditional students can make a big difference in how they are able to maximize their college experiences.”
Cantu Beauty’s partnership with UNCF is one of its continued commitments to elevating and uplifting diverse communities. Earlier this year, Cantu Beauty announced its investment in Gyrl Wonder, a nonprofit dedicated to serving ambitious young women of color and empower them as they take the next steps to successful careers. Additionally, last fall, Cantu Beauty launched Cantu Elevate: a program in collaboration with 25 Black Women in Beauty to lift up Black female entrepreneurs to shape the future of beauty. The inaugural program awarded three Black female entrepreneurs a Cantu-sponsored advertising campaign valued at approximately $160,000.