Celebrities, sports figures gather to raise money for online and on-campus college scholarships

Celebrities, sports figures gather to raise money for online and on-campus college scholarships

The Foot Locker Foundation held a gala to raise money for the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), which provides scholarships for students entering classroom-based or online degree programs.

Professional athletes and celebrities such as Mickey Rourke, Dennis Rodman, Brandon Jacobs, Braylon Edwards and Cobi Jones were among the attendees at the shoe retailers ninth annual On Our Feet gala, which asked guests to wear their favorite pair of athletic shoes with their black-tie apparel.

Proceeds from the event were donated to the UNCF, which has been the gala's beneficiary for the past six years. To date, the foundation's fundraising efforts have provided 300 scholarships to deserving students.

The UNCF, which is the country's largest minority educational organization, disburses more than 900 scholarships annually as part of its mission to advocate the importance of education.

The gala aims to raise money that will be used to "directly [impact] students by providing them with an opportunity to further their education," said Ken C. Hicks, president and CEO of Foot Locker.

Minority students may seek financial aid options from similar charitable organizations to help them pay for online courses or vocational training.