In Dec. 2021, Toronto Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet announced an eponymous scholarship to assist Black or Indigenous students through their four-year undergrad at the University of Toronto. Today, he met with the Fred VanVleet Scholarship’s first recipient, Abdullahi, to discuss his upcoming studies and his life outside of school.
“I was just feeling excited, overwhelmed, but mostly just grateful for even receiving it,” says Abdullahi in a video on the Raptors’ Twitter account. “[VanVleet] said if I ever need anything or if there’s something I’m struggling with, just let him know. He’s actually here to support me and I’m grateful for that.”
Beyond paying a value of $57,800 towards Abdullahi’s education, VanVleet is committing to mentoring the recipient, offering one-on-one sessions to talk about anything that may be occurring in the student’s life.
In addition to mentoring and helping people in real life, VanVleet also hosts a podcast with his financial advisor Derek Folk called Bet On Yourself where the two talk about how to be an entrepreneur and how to ensure the longevity of a business. The first season ended in January.
VanVleet also recently collaborated with illustrator Casey Bannerman and artist Mike Ivall on an Indigenous-themed Raptors jersey for National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.
