Coco Gauff has donated $100,000 to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) to establish the Coco Gauff Scholarship Program. The initiative aims to provide scholarships to students in competitive tennis at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The announcement has garnered widespread praise, including a delightful reaction from an Atlanta-based guitarist Jalen Sera.
Gauff’s donation comes during Black History Month, a period dedicated to celebrating the achievements and contributions of Black individuals throughout history. The UNCF, which has been a pillar in supporting Black students since 1944, will now collaborate with the rising tennis star to extend its mission further into the world of collegiate sports.
Jalen Sera took to his Instagram story to express his appreciation for Coco Gauff’s donation, writing:
Gauff, who won the 2023 US Open singles championship and the 2024 French Open women’s doubles title, currently holds the No. 3 spot in the WTA rankings. Beyond her athletic achievements, Gauff has a deep-rooted connection to HBCUs, with several family members having attended or currently attending these institutions.
In March 2024, Coco Gauff unveiled newly refurbished public tennis courts at Pompey Park in Delray Beach and took part in a tennis clinic for children from the Delray Beach Youth Tennis Foundation.
The project, created to honor Gauff’s first Grand Slam title, was the first under the USTA’s US Open Legacy Initiative. The USTA has pledged $3 million for court renovations nationwide, with nearly $60,000 used to upgrade Pompey Park’s courts, fencing, benches, windscreens, and shade structures.
Coco Gauff recently reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, where she lost 5-7, 4-6 to 11th seed Paula Badosa.
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