A few days ago, I read an article that outlined how cryptocurrency is changing college sponsorships. It talked about how UC Berkeley and FTX signed a deal that will allow students to pay for tuition with a cryptocurrency token. And Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business gave its class of 2020 non-fungible tokens as a gift. In addition, the Wharton School has a new blockchain certificate program that will let students pay for tuition with crypto.
Wharton School’s new blockchain certificate program will accept cryptocurrency for tuition
The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business has just announced a new certificate program in the field of blockchain and digital assets. This six-week course will be taught in English and is designed for business professionals. It will focus on crypto, regulation, and investing, among other topics.
The certificate program costs $3,800. Students can pay for the program using a variety of cryptocurrencies, including Ethereum, USDC, and Ether. Those who are interested in completing the course can sign up online.
For those interested in learning more, the school will also offer an introductory class on cryptocurrency as well as a course on fintech. During the course, students will be expected to spend eight to ten hours working on projects each week.
The course will be offered on the University of Pennsylvania’s campus in Philadelphia, but students can take the classes remotely. Classes will feature lectures from faculty and business luminaries, as well as case studies.
UC Berkeley signed a $17.5 million deal with FTX to sponsor its athletic department
The University of California, Berkeley, signed a $17.5 million deal with cryptocurrency exchange FTX to sponsor its athletic department. It was the first such deal in the NCAA’s history. But just a few months later, FTX filed for bankruptcy.
The deal included $17.5 million in crypto in exchange for on-field branding at Cal’s football stadium. FTX also promised $200,000 to support underrepresented student groups at UC Berkeley.
However, FTX had a lot more to offer than just that. It also partnered with the Golden State Warriors, MLB umpires, Major League Baseball, and even an e-sports organization called TSM.
FTX also announced a wide-ranging deal with Monumental Sports and Entertainment that included the Washington Wizards, NHL’s Capitals, and WNBA’s Mystics.
Earlier this year, FTX also secured naming rights to the Miami Heat arena. In a similar vein, the NBA’s Team SoloMid severed its relationship with FTX.
While FTX is still part of the Cal Athletics family, it’s clear that this is a hiccup. As the school’s spokesperson pointed out, “We haven’t removed the FTX logo from the stadium.”
The university, which is part of the Pac-12 conference, has 30 varsity athletic programs. Besides the Golden Bears, UC Berkeley fields clubs in both NCAA Division I and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.
The University of Maryland gave $9.4 million in cryptocurrency
One of the most notable movers and shakers in the cryptocurrency space is Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of the Ethereum network. In fact, he’s a big enough player that he’s the guy to call if you’re looking to pay your college tuition in crypto. And while his donation might be the granddaddy of them all, it’s certainly not the only university that’s accepting the digital currency.
For the most part, cryptocurrencies are used as a means of raising funds and for operational purposes. They are also being used to facilitate relationships with students and alumni. Earlier this year, the University of Maryland launched its first course aimed at learning how to use cryptocurrencies.
While the University of Maryland has opted not to make cryptopayments mandatory, it’s still a great time to consider making such a contribution. As of this writing, the crypto community has grown to about a hundred institutions, and many of them have set out a few simple instructions for their donors.
Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business gave the members of its class of 2020 non-fungible tokens as a gift
Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business recently gave the members of its Class of 2020 a new gift: non-fungible tokens. They are a form of digital cryptographic assets. These coins can be purchased on the blockchain and are valued for their uniqueness.
The coin will be given as a gift to every member of the class. It is a digital twin of the physical 2020 Challenge Coin, which will be distributed at the Class of 2020’s commencement reception. Each member will also receive a digital keepsake of the coin.
A total of 350 non-fungible tokens were minted. During the process, Reservoir Interactive copied the design of the physical coin and uploaded a digital 3D version to the Polygon Ethereum platform.
The coin’s image depicts St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus. Grant hopes the coin serves as an inspiration for lifelong learning.
The NFT market is still in its infancy. However, experts have already recognized the value of these digital crypto assets. Many universities are using the technology to improve their alumni relationships and raise funds.