George Lynch and Tracey Pennywell Raising Money to Change Student-Athletes Lives

Two Former Tar Heels Aim To Level The Playing Field for HBCU Student-Athletes, and One Heel is a National Champion.

It's more than just giving money to a student-athlete; it's a way of life. It's a commitment to building a generation of students who decided to take on the challenge of being the first. The first to attend college and the first to graduate, but what happens if you need help in the middle? Two former Tar Heels help answer that question.

George Lynch, alongside Tracey Pennywell, has co-founded a non-profit, HBCUHeroes. Their mission is to raise funding to level the playing field for HBCU sports programs by assisting with scholarships and resources to meet their athletic objectives. HBCU's stand for Historically Black Colleges/Universities. There are currently 107 HBCUs in the US; 12 of those reside in North Carolina. The disparities between PWI (predominately white institutions) and HBCUs display the massive gap in the institutions, specifically monetarily.

As a student-athlete, you want nothing more than to receive the best of everything to further your chances of a future playing the sport you love; training facilities, great professors, reliable coaching staff, and supportive parents, all who play a significant part in the success of an athlete. Lynch and Pennywell fill in the gap where coaches and parents fall short. They provide the necessary tools for those athletes to succeed in any academic situation, even a pandemic.

At the current moment, they are receiving funds through technology for technology. Tech4Covid is a 24-hour telethon with the hopes of raising $3 million to help student-athletes perform at their highest level academically. Superstars like Michael Strahan, Bill Bellamy, DL Hughley, Jeezy, and Sheryl Swoopes all participated and shared their stories in conjunction with HBCUHeroes.

Pennywell stated that the non-profit would dive into a new series that started in May.  Every Sunday during the month, they will host four-hour telethons in hopes of meeting their goal. They will continue their efforts until every penny is raised.

Being a graduate of a college is a feat for anyone of color. The system wasn't set up for us to graduate, so no matter which institution hands you that degree at the end of your journey, you did it. In return, it costs nothing to follow in the footsteps of HBCUHeroes and give a helping hand to those in need. Maybe it's not a laptop, but it is an ear and a conversation; listening still changes lives. In whatever tier you're apart of in the collegiate hierarchy, make sure you open the door for those behind you.

"This started when I saw a need for Clark-Atlanta. They needed to know someone cared. We just wanted to even the playing field and make it easier for our student-athletes." -1993 NCAA Champion and NBA Veteran, George Lynch

For more information and to reach HBCUHeroes, please visit their website, HBCUHeroes.org

And to listen to the full episode of the podcast, please check it out here!

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