First Black Sorority’s Endowment Fund provides much-needed support to HBCUs
CHICAGO, 9 /PRNewswire/ — Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, in partnership with the Educational Advancement Foundation (EAF), has presented its third round of endowment funds in the amount of $1.6 million to 35 additional HBCUs as part of a four-year fundraising campaign led by AKA International President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Glenda Glover to help secure fiscal sustainability and success across all HBCUs.
“HBCUs have received tremendous media attention over the past several months with the inauguration of America’s first Vice President who is a graduate of an historically Black university,” said Dr. Glover, who also is president of Tennessee State University and an HBCU graduate. “It is an historic moment for HBCUs, who graduate 22% of all African Americans with bachelor degrees, nearly 80% of all African-American judges, and 50% of all Black lawyers. We must continue our efforts to support these treasured educational institutions that make such meaningful contributions to our world through the students they graduate.”
For the past four years, Dr. Glover has challenged the sorority’s more than 300,000 college-educated members, as well as corporate partners and donors, to raise $1 million in 24 hours through the sorority’s annual HBCU Impact Day. Members and supporters have consistently surpassed the goal, raising $1.3 million in 2020. These funds help schools reduce student debt through scholarships, fund industry-specific research, recruit and retain top faculty, and provide support for other critical operations.
“It is undeniable that HCBUs cultivate leaders whose impact is felt locally in their communities and globally around the world. We are proud to have fully committed our endowment funds to these deserving schools and their students,” said President Glover. “Our investment lends credence to the significance of HBCUs and underscores their contributions to the world.”
At its recent virtual international convention this month, the AKA Educational Advancement Foundation presented unrestricted endowment funds in the amount of $50,000 to the following HBCUs: Alabama A&M University, Alabama State University, Bethune-Cookman University, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Claflin University, Clark Atlanta University, Clinton College, Florida A&M University, Hampton University, Howard University, Interdenominational Theological Center, Jackson State University, Johnson C. Smith University, Meharry Medical College, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, Morgan State University, Morris College, North Carolina A&T State University, Prairie View A&M University, Simmons College of Kentucky, Southwestern Christian College, Spelman College, Texas Southern University, Tuskegee University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, University of the District of Columbia, University of the Virgin Islands, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University, Winston-Salem State University, and Xavier University of Louisiana. Receiving endowments of $12,500 were Bishop State Community College, Coahoma Community College, and Shorter College.
Last year in 2020, the AKA Educational Advancement Foundation presented unrestricted endowment funds in the amount of $50,000 to the following HBCUs: Allen University, Arkansas Baptist College, Benedict College, Bluefield State College, Bowie State University, Central State University, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, Delaware State University, Dillard University, Elizabeth City State University, Fisk University, Huston-Tillotson University, Jarvis Christian College, Kentucky State University, Lane College, Langston University, Lincoln University (PA), Oakwood University, Paine College, Paul Quinn College, Rust College, Selma University, Southern University and A&M College, Southern University at Shreveport, Talladega College, Tennessee State University, Texas College, Tougaloo College, and Virginia University of Lynchburg. Receiving endowments of $12,500 were CUNY Medgar Evers College, CUNY York College, Lawson State Community College-Birmingham Campus, and St. Philip’s College.
The AKA Educational Advancement Foundation presented the first round of endowments in the amount of $50,000 to the following 31 HBCUs in 2019: Albany State University, Alcorn State University, American Baptist College, Bennett College, Chicago State University, Coppin State University, Edward Waters College, Fayetteville State University, Florida Memorial University, Fort Valley State University, Grambling State University, Harris-Stowe State University, LeMoyne-Owen College, Lincoln University, Livingstone College, Miles College, Mississippi Valley State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University, Philander Smith College, Saint Augustine’s University, Savannah State University, Shaw University, South Carolina State University, Southern University at New Orleans, Stillman College, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Voorhees College, West Virginia State University, Wilberforce University, and Wiley College.
HBCUs have historically served all people regardless of race or economic standing and continue to do so. These schools are often the largest employers in rural areas and educate students from pre-K through college via teacher education programs, charter schools, and early-college high schools housed on their campuses. Alpha Kappa Alpha believes in the importance of these institutions of higher learning and the need to support them has never diminished.
For more information on the sorority’s commitment to HBCUs, visit www.aka1908.com.
About Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated (AKA) is an international service organization that was founded on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C. in 1908. It is the oldest Greek-letter organization established by African-American, college-educated women. Alpha Kappa Alpha is comprised of over 300,000 members in more than 1,000 graduate and undergraduate chapters in the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Liberia, Bahamas, Bermuda, the Caribbean, Canada, Japan, Germany, South Korea, South Africa, and in the Middle East. Led by International President and Chief Executive Officer, Glenda Glover Ph.D., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated is often hailed as “America’s premier Greek-letter organization for African-American women.” Visit www.aka1908.com for more information.
About the AKA Educational Advancement Foundation
Over 40 years ago, the Educational Advancement Foundation was established by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. to promote lifelong learning. It is now the largest minority owned women’s foundation in the country with assets totaling over $22.7 million. The foundation has donated over $6.5 million for scholarships, fellowships, and community assistance grants and is an organization with a rich and distinguished history of service that spans nearly a century.
Creating the Educational Advancement Foundation was the method by which Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. sought to ensure that there would always be support for education, its oldest program of service. Today, the Foundation, a financially strong and viable organization, is a powerful tool for good, pooling the resources of others who share this vision of providing a perpetual source of support for education.
Alpha Kappa Alpha implements an AKA HBCU Endowment Initiative in partnership with EAF, in which an endowed scholarship will be established at each accredited four-year HBCU. The goal is to stamp the Alpha Kappa Alpha brand of financial support on each HBCU campus to help students remain in school, complete their course of study, and receive their college degrees.
For more information about the Educational Advancement Foundation, please visit www.akaeaf.org.
