Tyler Perry has once again made a life-changing impact through his philanthropy, helping a student achieve her dream of attending Harvard.
Janay Duberry, a Tuskegee University graduate, revealed to People that Perry covered the remaining balance of her tuition at Harvard Graduate School of Education after financial aid failed to fully cover the costs. The aspiring educator and writer shared the emotional news through a series of Instagram posts, explaining that Perry’s generosity eliminated the final financial barrier preventing her from pursuing graduate school.
“After years of writing, building, networking, and earning my degree at Tuskegee University, I was accepted into Harvard,” Duberry wrote. “Harvard provided generous financial aid, but I still had a major financial gap and wasn’t sure how I would turn this dream into a reality.”
She explained that everything changed when Perry stepped in to help.
“He generously covered the remaining balance of my tuition, allowing me to begin this next chapter with more stability and peace of mind,” Duberry wrote. “Your generosity has created an opportunity for me to continue my education, grow my voice as a writer and educator, and move closer to the books and educational projects I’ve been working toward.”
Duberry also expressed her gratitude to Perry for believing in her journey, writing, “You are a true light in the Black community. I love you, and I am beyond overwhelmed, humbled, and grateful. Thank you for investing in my purpose and helping turn this dream into reality.”
The Alabama native plans to earn a master’s degree in education, expanding on the foundation she built at Tuskegee as she continues her work as both a writer and educator.
In a follow-up post, she reflected on the path that led her to Cambridge, writing, “Mother Tuskegee prepared me to walk through doors I once only dreamed about. Harvard became the next chapter, but Tuskegee will always be the foundation.”
The tuition assistance marks the latest example of Perry’s continued philanthropic efforts. Earlier this year, he made headlines after attempting to support unpaid TSA workers during a federal government shutdown.
After federal ethics rules prevented him from directly giving cash to employees, Perry’s team provided $1,000 gift cards to about 250 TSA workers at Atlanta’s airport, though the cards were later recalled due to policy concerns.
Previously, in November 2025, Perry donated nearly $1.4 million to organizations supporting families impacted by SNAP benefit reductions during another government funding crisis.
At the time, Perry explained why those struggles were personal to him.
“If you’ve never been poor, then you may not fully understand the life-changing impact SNAP benefits mean to hard-working people, to our seniors and to our children,” he said. “For millions of people, it could mean extreme hunger. For newborns, it could mean a lack of access to formula.”
