Launched with fanfare in 2021, the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment at Long Island University (LIU) promised students an innovative and debt-free college experience. Formed through a partnership between LIU and Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, the program targeted aspiring artists and entertainment professionals and touted full-tuition “Hope Scholarships” for high-need students. However, several students from the school’s inaugural class now allege they were misled, claiming they’ve been left with thousands in student debt despite initial promises.
Justice Stephenson, a Brooklyn native who enrolled in the program after receiving a text from LIU President Kimberly Cline offering her a full scholarship, said she believed she was on track to graduate without any financial burden. “It was a full scholarship immediately. It was a music school, which is iconic and the dream. And Jay-Z is involved,” Stephenson said. But by the time she approached graduation, she discovered she owed $5,000 — a reduced figure after negotiating from an initial balance of $26,000.
She is not alone. At least a dozen former and current students shared similar experiences, revealing unexpected financial obligations ranging from $5,000 to $39,000. Many said they only discovered tuition didn’t cover fees, housing, or other essential costs after enrollment. Some resorted to couch surfing, while others dropped out or transferred to different schools due to financial strain.
Marketing around the Hope Scholarship program once stated that recipients would graduate “without debt,” a claim several students took at face value. However, LIU now clarifies that the scholarship applies solely to tuition. Jackie Nealon, LIU’s chief of marketing, said that all students are informed that fees and housing are not included. She emphasized that the scholarship offers “tuition debt-free” support, not an utterly cost-free education. Still, some offer letters reviewed by Gothamist did not mention excluded expenses and used phrasing that suggested full financial coverage.
Ajaiya Thomas, another student who enrolled under the belief she’d graduate debt-free, later transferred out after receiving $19,000 in unexpected charges. “I gave up my dream of becoming a veterinarian because of what they promised,” Thomas said.
In addition to financial issues, students expressed frustration with the program’s resources and delivery. Some claimed that advertised appearances from Roc Nation-affiliated celebrities like Rihanna and the Jonas Brothers never happened, and that key facilities such as a professional recording studio were missing. In response, students reportedly built one themselves.
Despite these concerns, LIU has not disclosed the number of students enrolled in the Roc Nation program or the number who received the Hope Scholarship. A former staff member estimated that around 50 students made up the inaugural class of scholarship recipients, but the university has yet to confirm that figure.
While the university maintains that the scholarship initiative has a positive impact, students say the reality hasn’t matched the promises. As the Roc Nation School continues to evolve, many are calling for greater transparency and accountability.