Justice Stephenson had recently graduated high school in Brooklyn and was questioning whether to take a gap year abroad or enroll in college when she received a text message from an unknown number that provided her answer.
“I tried to reach you by phone. Roc Nation School at LIU is awarding you a full tuition scholarship. You will receive full tuition and be able to graduate without debt,” read the message from LIU President Kimberly Cline.
“It felt too good to be true,” Stephenson said. But her mother urged her to seize the opportunity to pursue what seemed to be a free degree in vocal performance. LIU was offering a “Hope Scholarship,” which the university says it awards to “highest-need” students…