This became a thing, even though it shouldn’t have become a thing, forcing UCLA to comment on said thing. The gist of it is simple: The Bruins awarded Justin Combs, son of Sean “Diddy” Combs, an athletic scholarship to play football. Diddy has a lot of money, creating some kind of Internet uproar over giving the younger Combs free tuition and board to play football for UCLA.
It’s Not All About The Benjamins: UCLA Defends Justin Combs’ Scholarship
So here we are, with UCLA releasing a statement reminding the public that state funds are not being used to pay for athletic scholarships.
“Unlike need-based scholarships, athletic scholarships are awarded to students strictly on the basis of their athletic and academic ability -- not their financial need,” the statement read. “Athletic scholarships, such as those awarded to football or basketball players, do not rely on state funds. Instead, these scholarships are entirely funded through UCLA Athletics ticket sales, corporate partnerships, media contracts and private donations from supporters.
That it came to this is rather ridiculous. Yes, Diddy’s son is wealthy. Yes, he also earned the scholarship because of the work he’s put in on the field. There’s a symbolic element to earning a scholarship, above and beyond the whole “paying for school” thing. He’s a scholarship athlete on a Division I football team.
Rich or not, it’s a hell of an achievement, and there’s no reason to take it away from him because of who his father is.
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