Oprah surprises soon-to-be-graduates at Morehouse in her scholars program

Soon-to-be graduates of Morehouse College gathered Friday night to celebrate their academic achievements before walking across the stage in May.

The men belong to the Oprah Winfrey Scholars Program, established in 1989 by the scholarship's namesake. Funding from the program allowed them to pursue their academic dreams in Atlanta, dreams they are ever closer to reaching now that their time at Morehouse is coming to a close.

But as they celebrated over food and shared about their experiences at one of the most prestigious HBCUs in the nation, they got an additional surprise when Winfrey herself walked into the room.

Oprah surprises Morehouse graduates

"Ms. Oprah Winfrey returned to The House to check in on her scholars before they entered the next chapter of their lives. In an intimate talkback session, she shared her wisdom, candor, and joy with all in the room, putting the battery pack in the back of our students (and everyone in attendance) to move forward with the assurance of who they are, how they've been prepared for success, and a resilient mindset braced to overcome any challenges," Morehouse College said in an April 26 post on Facebook.

Morehouse students told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution they thought it was a "joke" and they were shocked to see Winfrey walk into the room.

In remarks to the small group, Winfrey said the scholarship program is "the best investment I or anyone could make."

She said she always had a "risk" bucket and "safe" bucket for her money since making her first big check, something she learned from her father who didn't believe in credit cards. She the "safe" bucket was investment that she wasn't willing to risk losing, and that the Morehouse scholarship was part of that fund.

She said the scholarships not only fund dreams of the current students, but also the dreams their ancestors had for their lives.

What is the Oprah Winfrey Scholars Program?

Oprah's scholarship program not only offers financial support for higher education at a Historically Black College or University, but also leadership experiences and service opportunities to young Black men.

"The program seeks to develop community and global leaders through leadership development and service experiences during the academic year and provides an opportunity to travel to South Africa during the summer," according to the Morehouse website.

Oprah scholars meet a minimum GPA of 3.0 and 15 credit hours while enrolled at Morehouse, had a combined SAT score of 1200 or an ACT score of 26 during high school, and show a demonstrated financial need and commitment to service. While they are in school, the scholars are expected to mentor middle and high school students, implement leadership programs for schools, maintain their grades and participate in growing experience with the other scholars.

Irene Wright is the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today’s Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at [email protected].