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October 21, 2015LeBron James never went to college. Through his partnership with the University of Akron, he hopes more kids will.
LeBron himself starred in a two-minute spot for the school, which first aired Tuesday during university president Scott Scarborough’s State of the University speech. The ad is part of a TV and radio campaign called “Are You Out There?”, which is said to be a historically large one for the school.
The four-time MVP narrates the entire ad, which culminates in an array of students mimicking his chalk toss move. A few snippets of his dialogue:
“For me growing up, and a lot of kids that grew up in situations I grew up in, [college] wasn’t a reality. We just didn’t feel like it was possible. To be in a position today where we can actually put ourselves and put these kids in position where this thing called college can become a reality is enormous.”
“To be a part of the University of Akron is big for me because I truly believe in what they’re building. Wherever I go, I always talk about me being from Akron. Without those five letters, I wouldn’t be who I am today. Whatever your dream is, whatever your passion is, you can become that.”
“Every day can’t be a bed of roses. You have to have pitfalls, you have to have ups and downs.”
“At the LeBron James Family Foundation and at the University of Akron, we’re letting you know that you’re not by yourself along this journey.”
Give it a listen and see if you aren’t moved by it.
Akron’s college of education has been renamed the LeBron James Family Foundation College of Education as part of a five-year partnership between the university and foundation. LeBron will appear in a commercial for the university in each year of the deal. The agreement was announced in August at Cedar Point.
The change is part of a new partnership between UA and the foundation that will also provide a free four-year college education to any of the 2,300 Akron Public Schools students who are enrolled in the foundation’s I PROMISE program or expected to be added in the next four years.
More on the ad campaign from Rick Armon of the Akron Beacon Journal:
UA has said that the “Are You Out There?” campaign is the largest-ever advertising effort undertaken by the school. The campaign has been estimated to cost between $850,000 and $900,000.
The goal is to attract the attention of prospective students and their families.
But UA also has admitted that it hopes it will help wash away some of the negative publicity and lingering doubts about the school since it announced $40 million in painful financial cuts this summer.