Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.
The Norfolk State University Foundation has received a $500,000 gift from the Hampton Roads Community Foundation. Over the next five years, the funds will provide direct support to students through the HBCU’s Career Accelerator Program. Students will receive career coaching, job placement services, and certification support to ensure they are prepared to enter the workforce with competitive skills, experiences, and credentials.
Historically Black J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College in Huntsville, Alabama, recently received a $500,000 gift to establish the Ellenae Fairhurst Endowed Scholarship fund. Named for the pioneering automotive executive and entrepreneur Ellenae Hart-Fairhust, the endowment will provide a permanent source of financial support for Drake students, with a particular focus on assisting mothers who are pursuing their education full- or part-time.
The Office of College Access Programs at historically Black Fayetteville State University in North Carolina was awarded a $13.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to support the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) initiative. Beginning in middle school, students participating in GEAR UP gain access to a wide range of college preparation services, such as tutoring, mentoring, academic advising, career exploration, college visits, and financial aid guidance. Students can also participate in various workshops and events on student success, while families receive support from the Parent Engagement Institute. Educators at participating K-12 schools can also receive professional development opportunities through GEAR UP.
Historically Black Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina has received a $1 million investment from Adobe Inc. that will provide students and faculty with access to Adobe tools and training opportunities. The funding will support a comprehensive suit of initiatives designed to accelerate student success and institutional innovation, ensuring students graduate with creative portfolios and digital credentials and preparing faculty to incorporate AI tools into their teaching and scholarship.
Savannah State University in Georgia has received a $100,000 donation from alumna Robin Perrtree to support the HBCU’s Dolphin Sciences Lab. First launched in 2009, the lab collects data on Savannah’s local dolphin population, allowing researchers to explore complex questions regarding dolphins’ social relationships, habitat ranges, traveling patterns, and calving frequency. Perrtree, a 2011 graduate of the university’s master’s degree program in marine sciences, currently serves as the lab’s manager.
