“I had to take out a tremendous amount of loans. The scholarship took a burden off of that,” Scott said. “This past semester we have tried to get students who are already enrolled at MSU.”

Kenny Williams, a MSU senior communications major minoring in leadership and integrative learning, said he thinks it is great that someone as influential as Magic is starting a scholarship fund.

“Sometimes people forget where they come from,” Williams said.

Williams counselor at Cass Tech High School in Detroit told him about the annual MSUBA Harold Yates Scholarship. Williams was offered and accepted the scholarship in 2012.

Williams said, “Ever since then we have developed a bond. Honestly, that was my first family and I really appreciate them at school.”

Williams said he got the opportunity to meet Yates at the scholarship banquet.

“It was amazing meeting someone who is one of the reasons I am here,” Williams said.

Williams said the MSUBA has provided him the “college experience that you really can’t get anywhere else.” Williams previously served as the MSUBA student group president. The vice president during his tenure, Gabrielle Groce, a MSU senior English major, was offered the General Scholarship and accepted in 2012.

“I came to MSU with like four best friends,” Groce said. “[MSUBA] is always asking if we need help. It built a sense of community here that I was worried about not having.”

Groce said serving on the student group taught her how to deal with all types of people and has prepared her for being a teacher.

“Without MSUBA I would have never met all of these people … They had such an impact on me,” Groce said.

The fundraiser will support the MSUBA endowment fund, the newly established Magic Johnson Scholarship Fund and an expendable fund for students, said Paris Ross, the National President of MSUBA. Ross said students can contact MSU to apply for the scholarships.

The funds aim at remedying MSU college students who struggle financially on their way toward graduation. Antoinette Warr, facility coordinator at the MSU Detroit Center and the fundraiser’s chair, said Johnson’s new fund allows him to continue his legacy of helping college students.

“A very large percent of students have to leave college because they do not have the money to go. We want to eliminate this problem,” Warr said. “We can not put a price tag on Earvin's involvement and support. He has given in so many ways.”

The fundraiser offers multiple sponsorship packages for the public and Warr said many Spartan legends have been invited, including Mark Dantonio, Tom Izzo, Greg Kelser, Steve Smith, Lorenzo White, Sam Vincent, Adreian Payne, Matean Cleaves, Draymond Green, Mark Hollis, Alan Haller, David Thomas, Dwayne Stephens and many more.