Stephen Curry has built a legacy far beyond the basketball court, and his latest move makes that clearer than ever. The Golden State Warriors star has announced a new full ride scholarship program in partnership with Davidson College and the Oakland Unified School District, designed to give high-achieving, low income students from California’s Bay Area a path to higher education they might not otherwise have.
The Davidson College Curry Scholars Program will officially launch in the fall of 2027, and when it does, it will change lives. Each year, between 5 and 10 students from the Oakland area will be selected to attend Davidson College in North Carolina with every major expense covered tuition, housing, meals, books, fees, a computer allowance, and an all expenses paid campus visit during their senior year of high school.
A program rooted in personal experience
For Curry, this is not just philanthropy it is personal. He attended Davidson from 2006 to 2009, leaving early to enter the NBA Draft, but the college clearly never left him. Years after becoming one of the most decorated players in NBA history, Curry returned to finish what he started, earning his degree in 2022. Davidson marked the occasion by retiring his iconic No. 30 jersey and inducting him into the school’s Hall of Fame.
He has spoken about how his time at Davidson shaped him in ways that extended well beyond basketball teaching him who he wanted to be as a person. That experience is exactly what he hopes to pass on to a new generation of students from the community where he built his professional career.
What the scholarship covers
The Curry Scholars Program is designed to remove as many financial barriers as possible. Selected students will receive a comprehensive package that goes beyond tuition, addressing the everyday costs that often derail college students from lower income backgrounds before they ever reach graduation.
The inclusion of a computer allowance and an all expenses paid campus visit for high school seniors reflects a thoughtful understanding of what students actually need not just to get into college, but to stay there and thrive.
Finding the right students
To identify eligible scholars, the program will work directly with the Oakland Unified School District and College Track, a nonprofit organization with an established track record of supporting first generation and underrepresented college students. The collaboration reflects Davidson College’s broader commitment to recruiting students who have historically faced the steepest barriers to higher education.
Davidson College President Doug Hicks has been vocal in his praise of Curry’s involvement, framing the partnership as an opportunity to help the next generation of students grow into leaders who are equipped to serve their communities. The alignment between Curry’s vision and the college’s mission appears to run deep.
Curry’s legacy on and off the court
Curry’s accomplishments in the NBA speak for themselves 4 championships, 2 league MVP awards, and 12 All Star selections with the Golden State Warriors. His breakout moment on the national stage came during Davidson’s improbable run to the Elite Eight in the 2008 NCAA Tournament, a performance that announced him as something special long before he revolutionized the game at the professional level.
But the scholarship program signals something equally significant about who Curry is off the court. Investing in Oakland the city that embraced him and his Warriors teams through dynasty and transition alike reflects a commitment that goes beyond writing a check. It is a structural investment in the futures of young people who, with the right support, could go on to shape their communities in ways that are impossible to predict.
What comes next
Applications for the inaugural class of Curry Scholars are expected to open ahead of the 2027 academic year. For students in the Bay Area who have the drive and the grades but not the financial means, this program could be the difference between a dream deferred and a degree earned.
