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.
Virginia State University has received a $1.5 million gift from alumnus Charles W. Hill. This is the largest single donation ever made to the HBCU by a living alumnus. A former member of Virginia State’s board of visitors, Dr. Hill has been a longtime philanthropic supporter of his alma mater. He previously donated $100,000 to establish the Annase Wilks Hill Minerva Circle Endowment, which supports young women pursuing STEM degrees. Dr. Hill’s latest gift will be used to expand academic opportunities and strengthen institutional resources.
Texas Southern University was awarded a $4.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration to lead the Consortium for Research and Education for Advanced Manufacturing of Alloys for Extreme Conditions in partnership with Texas A&M University and historically Black Howard University. The funding will significantly increase Texas Southern’s engineering and materials science capabilities, allowing the HBCU to lead advanced manufacturing research connected to national security challenges.
The Center for Broadening Participation in Computing at historically Black Morehouse College in Atlanta has received $5 million in funding from the National Science Foundation to begin construction on a site that will house a cutting-edge supercomputer named Horizon. The funding is part of a broader $457 million initiative led by the Texas Advanced Computing Center at the University of Texas at Austin. Housed at Morehouse, Horizon will facilitate advanced artificial intelligence research for various high-impact fields, providing Morehouse students and faculty with innovative academic and professional development opportunities.
Morgan State University in Baltimore received a $2 million gift from alumna Vianna Briscoe to establish the Vianna Briscoe and Timothy Weldon Endowed Scholarship Fund. The endowment aims to remove students’ financial barriers and expand access to higher education, particularly in high-demand STEM and related fields. The donation is the HBCU’s second-largest gift from a living graduate.
Clark Atlanta University received a $5 million gift from Operation HOPE, made by its CEO John Hope Bryant, a trustee of the HBCU. The investment will provide essential financial education and entrepreneurial training services for first-year students. Over the next four years, incoming students will receive 12 months of financial coaching, equipping them with the necessary financial skills to persist to graduation.
Simmons College of Kentucky received a $2.5 million commitment from the founder of Papa John’s International, John Schnatter, and the John H. Schnatter Family Foundation. The new funding will support the HBCU’s purchase, renovation, and expansion of newly secured residential condominiums at College Court in Louisville.
The College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at historically Black Florida A&M University has received a five-year, $150,000 sub-award grant to participate in the Pharmacists for Prevention project, a $4.75 million initiative led by Duke University and funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. As project participants, pharmacy scholars at FAMU will integrate HIV prevention topics into the HBCU’s doctor of pharmacy degree curriculum.
