Beyoncé and Peloton have teamed up to gift Spelman College students a two-year Peloton Digital Membership. The program will allow all currently enrolled Spelman students unlimited access to live and on-demand classes from world-class instructors.
“Keeping students healthy and engaged has been a top priority for the College, especially since the onset of the pandemic,” said Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D., president of Spelman. “This gift from Peloton and Beyoncé will allow Spelman students to make use of the virtual space to expand their options for taking care of themselves, making sure they can remain active and practice self-care together.”
The collaboration with Beyoncé, the most requested artist by Peloton’s global community of more than 3.6 million members, is rooted in a celebration of music and pro-social initiatives.
The partnership led to the creation of a series of themed workout experiences to help extend the Homecoming season to Peloton members via classes across multiple fitness categories, including indoor cycling, running, strength, bootcamp, yoga and meditation.
“Peloton and I both believe that the power of music can help uplift, motivate and inspire those on their fitness journeys,” Beyoncé said. “I’ve been a Peloton member for several years, and I’m excited to partner with a company that helps people, young and old, be the best versions of themselves, in an innovative and adaptable way. I’m proud to celebrate the students at HBCUs with this donation, to encourage them to find and embrace their own wellness regimens.”
Last fall, Beyoncé partnered with Netflix to make sure Spelman students were among the first in the world to view her “Homecoming” film in Sister’s Chapel. In 2017, she named Bria Page, C’2019, as one of her inaugural Formation Scholars.
The $25,000 scholarship, funded by her company Parkwood Entertainment, is based on merit, community service and undergraduate or graduate pursuits in four fields of study: creative arts, music, literature and African-American studies.
Earlier this year, Spelman kicked off Women’s “Herstory” Month hosting Beyoncé Mass, a Christian worship experience using the artist’s music to cultivate an empowering conversation about Black women.
Along with the Homecoming experience, through the Peloton Digital Membership, students can take classes with world-class instructors like yoga teacher and Spelman alumna Chelsea Jackson Roberts, Ph.D., C’2001, who after receiving her Ph.D., in educational studies, made it her life’s work to study the positive impact that yoga has on communities.
“My intention is to create an environment that leaves members with a strong sense of belonging and accomplishment,” said Roberts, the founder of Spelman’s Yoga, Literature and Art Camp, who hosts weekly live classes on onepeloton.com/app and will be teaching Beyoncé Yoga Flow and Beyoncé Meditation. “I am inspired by how yoga, music and soulful storytelling can take us on a journey closer to ourselves.”
Peloton and Beyoncé are gifting students enrolled in nine other HBCUs, including those in the Atlanta University Center Consortium – Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Morehouse School of Medicine – with two-year Peloton Digital Memberships.
Spelman alumnae, faculty, staff and other community members are encouraged to join students in online classes by using #Spelman in their Peloton Leaderboard profiles.
