It's hard to believe it's been a year since Beyoncé dropped her most critically-acclaimed album to date, Lemonade, gifting our ears and minds with the lyrical delights of 'Formation', 'Hold Up' and 'Sorry'.
But, in true Queen B style, there was only one way to mark the occasion that would be meaningful enough to her fans and live up to her iconic, creative, limitless and feminist potential.
Enter the 'Formation Scholars'.
Yesterday, the pregnant singer posted an announcement on her website announcing the establishment of 'Formation Scholars' awards for four college students during the 2017-2018 academic year.
The programme – which is named after her hit, female empowerment single, 'Formation' – is described as having been created 'to encourage and support young women who are unafraid to think outside the box and are bold, creative, conscious and confident'.
The advertisement goes onto explain: 'Four scholarships will be awarded, one per college, to female incoming, current or graduate students pursuing studies in creative arts, music, literature or African-American studies.'
The scholarships will be available for the incoming school year at Berklee College of Music, Parsons School of Design, as well as two historically black colleges, Howard University and Spelman College, according to The Cut.
As a result of Yoncé's announcement, former US First Lady, Michelle Obama, took to Twitter to thank the 35-year-old for helping young women reach their potential.
'Always inspired by your powerful contributions @Beyonce. You are a role model for us all. Thank you for investing in our girls,' she captioned the post, including the original scolarship advertisement.
According to the singer's website. application processes and deadlines vary between the colleges, with Howard University announcing on Instagram it will inform students hoping to apply for the scholarships next month, while Spelman College already has an essay application on its financial aid website for the £19,000 scholarship.
The essay question asks: 'How has the album 'Lemonade' inspired your educational goals?'
Pens at the ready, ladies. We've got an application to write.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
