COLLEGE TOWN, FL (WTXL) — Rapper Gunna's Wunna Run Club and Walmart joined FAMU's Homecoming 5K, committing $10,000 in scholarships to five students pursuing health-related majors.
WATCH FULL REPORT BELOW:
Different faces. Different backgrounds. But one common goal brought students, alumni and members of the Tallahassee community together on the Hill.
For the fifth year, FAMU's Homecoming 5K united the campus and surrounding community around health and wellness. This year, a familiar face joined the crowd.
Rapper Gunna and his Wunna Run Club teamed up with the university, bringing extra excitement to the event.
"Like you were saying is, it's really not just about running this for me. It's just about community. You know what I'm saying, just bringing the people together. Y'all are smart, y'all in school, but you also gotta watch your health; wellness is major," Gunna said.
For neighbors who took part, the event was about more than exercise.
"An event like this is important to the community because you get everybody together and then we're doing it for a good cause. We're actually running, and so we're working out. We're staying thick, and we're getting healthy," Shamekia Brown said.
While runners made their way toward the finish line, the impact of this year's event extended beyond the course.
Walmart and Wunna Run Club committed $10,000 in scholarships to five FAMU students pursuing health-related majors — $2,000 each — an investment in the future of the Rattler community. Other local sponsors also donated to help FAMU students.
University leaders said the partnership shows students that others are invested in their futures.
"I think it's super important right is it is showing our students that people are investing into their lives. They're showing them that when you show up people will show up for you. Not only Walmart, but a celebrity rapper will come and support the education of our students, so we're gonna say this is the first year that they're doing it, but we're gonna grow even more through this partnership," Brandi Tatum-Fedrick said.
For students, the scholarships ease a real financial burden.
"So I think with that rising the cost and higher education, especially at HBCU and for students were out of state something that can alleviate that burden and that financial pressure is anything and everything for students and I think as a student I can very much relate to that cost so I understand that this is something that we should not take for granite would be very great and I know I am," Caitlin Smith said.
As FAMU celebrates this year's Homecoming theme, "There's No Place Like the Hill," the event showed how the community can come together for something bigger than a celebration.
The finish line may mark the end of the race, but the impact of events like this can carry on long after.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website.
Stay in touch with us anywhere, anytime.
