Will Smith spoke at Dodger Stadium on August 11, 2026, about honoring Legacy Scholars, a group of high school seniors receiving Dodgers Foundation college scholarships. Smith described the scholarship recipients, noting "they got the scholarship from the Dodgers Foundation."
Smith said being involved is important to him because his own family valued college attendance, adding that he was able to attend the University of Louisville. He explained that education's lessons carry directly into his profession, stating, "all of it goes right into my job each and every day as a baseball player." Smith noted that his college experience shaped him through the friends, coaches, and teachers he encountered there, saying "everything I learned there kind of made me who I am today."
Smith recalled being nervous but more excited than nervous during his first days of college, remembering his first baseball practice and the larger class sizes compared to high school. He mentioned, "I was nervous. Um, you know, you're kind of off on your own for the first time. I was excited," and reflected that "there's way more kids in it than my high school classes."
A Dodgers Foundation representative explained that the Legacy Scholarship program launched in 2022 as part of the All-Star Legacy game, stating the program has now awarded scholarships to a total of 50 scholars representing 21 institutions over five years, with 10 scholars selected annually. The representative described the selection criteria as including need, academic achievement, and community service, and noted that scholars must be members of Boys and Girls Club Metro or the Dodgers Dream Team program at 156 locations throughout LA and Long Beach. The representative also observed that many of 2026's scholars showed resilience, having faced adversity, including entering college during the COVID pandemic era.
According to the foundation representative, scholars receive $10,000 over the course of their college careers along with a custom jersey, laptop, backpack, and hat, plus an on-field pregame announcement. Smith presented the scholarships to the Legacy Scholars, while broadcaster Steven Nelson moderated the ceremony. Smith noted that presenting to the scholars was his only role in the program, saying "the only thing I did in this was just get to present it to them," and acknowledged, "I honestly didn't really know about the program until today."