Universal Music Group, UCLA Establish Berry Gordy Music Industry Scholarship – Los Angeles Sentinel
Universal Music Group and the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music have announced the creation of the Berry Gordy Music Industry Scholarship, an endowed fund designed to support promising students pursuing careers in the music business.
The scholarship, created in partnership with The UCLA Foundation, honors Motown founder Berry Gordy’s transformative contributions to music and culture. It builds on the 2024 launch of The UCLA Berry Gordy Music Industry Center, a dedicated space for music industry research, teaching, and community engagement at one of the nation’s top public universities.
Each year, one student demonstrating both exceptional talent and financial need will be named a Berry Gordy Scholar. The award will provide funding toward tuition, housing, and other educational expenses. Scholars will also participate in programming at the Gordy Center, contributing to its mission of preparing students for a rapidly evolving global music landscape.
“The music business has always been about fresh voices and new ideas,” Gordy said in a statement to the Los Angeles Sentinel.
“It’s what keeps the music industry growing and alive — and it starts with giving young people the chance to learn. Education is a key to unlocking talent — for artists, producers, songwriters, and executives. I’m proud that, with the generous contribution from Universal Music Group, we can help students through The UCLA Berry Gordy Music Industry Center get the support they need to create the music of tomorrow.”
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UMG Chairman and CEO Sir Lucian Grainge said the scholarship is part of the company’s larger commitment to equity and music education.
“For more than 65 years, Berry Gordy’s name has been synonymous with artistry and the transformative power of music,” Grainge said.
“Through this scholarship, UMG is honoring his enduring legacy by investing in a new generation of young people who will help carry that spirit forward—creators and changemakers, who will have an opportunity to reflect the innovation and entrepreneurial genius that Mr. Gordy helped bring to the world through Motown, Tamla and the pioneering sound of Detroit.”
The scholarship is a key component of UMG’s “Sounds of the Future” initiative, launched by its Task Force for Meaningful Change in 2023. Now in its third year, the initiative supports programs that amplify Black creativity, preserve cultural heritage, and expand educational access. The new scholarship directly supports the “Invest” pillar of the campaign, which focuses on backing schools, institutions, and grassroots organizations that preserve the creative legacy of Black music.
“This endowment ensures that the next generation of music executives, artists and entrepreneurs will not only be inspired by Berry Gordy’s legacy of innovation but also equipped to build on it,” said Robert Fink, acting dean of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music and director of the Berry Gordy Music Industry Center.
“UMG’s partnership with UCLA reflects our belief that increasing access to education and professional training is a powerful tool for transforming the music industry.”
Recipients of the scholarship will be selected by the Center’s director and may be eligible to receive support in consecutive years based on academic engagement and demonstrated need.
The scholarship announcement comes amid a broader expansion of UMG’s Sounds of the Future campaign. In 2025, UMG has increased support for programs like Roots of Music in New Orleans, which provides music education rooted in Black cultural traditions, and Girls Make Beats in Los Angeles, which mentors future female producers, DJs and engineers.
UMG also recently offered a behind-the-scenes career immersion program during the Grand National Tour’s Chicago stop, giving local youth an inside look at careers in music production, choreography, wardrobe, and tour operations. Earlier this year, UMG collaborated with BLK MKT Vintage to host an immersive art installation at its Santa Monica headquarters exploring the legacy of Black music through the lens of sampling.
Susan Mazo, executive vice president and chief impact officer at Universal Music Group, said the collaboration with Berry Gordy on shaping the scholarship was both personal and visionary.
“Berry Gordy has given the music industry, as well as music fans all over the world, many gifts through his love of music and his groundbreaking approach to the business,” Mazo said.
“Last year, when he established the UCLA Berry Gordy Music Industry Center, Universal Music Group wanted to continue to celebrate Mr. Gordy’s legacy and create lasting impact. The Berry Gordy scholarship at UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music will do just that. When we brought the concept to Mr. Gordy, he was both honored and excited to have the opportunity to continue to support future generations of music professionals.”
With the creation of the Berry Gordy Music Industry Scholarship, UMG and UCLA are making a long-term investment in the students who will define the next chapter of music. At its core, the partnership honors the cultural and entrepreneurial contributions of Berry Gordy and the enduring impact of the Motown legacy.
