Philander Smith University received a record $19 million unrestricted gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, boosting scholarships, campus upgrades, student success efforts, and long-term HBCU sustainability.
By Milton Kirby | Little Rock, AR | November 14, 2025
Philander Smith University (PSU) has received an unrestricted $19 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. It is the largest single donation in the university’s 147-year history. University leaders say the contribution strengthens academic programs, student support, and long-term planning for the historic Little Rock HBCU.
A Gift with Full Flexibility
The donation is unrestricted, giving the university freedom to direct funds where they are most needed. That flexibility allows PSU to respond quickly to student needs, expand programs, and improve facilities without donor-imposed limits.
A Historic Institution with a Unique Mission
Founded in 1877, Philander Smith University is a small, private, historically Black liberal arts institution related to the United Methodist Church. It offers four undergraduate degrees — the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Business Administration, and Bachelor of Social Work — along with a Master of Business Administration (MBA).
The university’s mission is to graduate academically accomplished students who are grounded as advocates for social justice and committed to changing the world for the better.
PSU is also the only United Negro College Fund member institution in Arkansas, serving students of all backgrounds regardless of race, religion, sex, national origin, or ethnicity.
Leadership Responds
President and CEO Dr. Maurice D. Gipson said the contribution marks a major step forward.
“This gift is a resounding vote of confidence in our mission and our momentum,” Dr. Gipson said. “It positions us to invest boldly in student success, facilities enhancement, and programs that prepare the next generation of Philander Smith leaders.”
MacKenzie Scott – Courtesy Vogue
Why This Gift Matters
HBCUs often operate with smaller endowments and historic funding inequities. Rising costs and enrollment shifts have increased pressure on many campuses. PSU leaders say the unrestricted gift will support scholarships, strengthen the endowment, and modernize facilities — areas essential for long-term growth.
Research shows that large, flexible donations like Scott’s can boost retention, expand academic offerings, and stabilize financial planning at HBCUs.
Scott’s Growing Impact on HBCUs
Since 2020, Scott has reduced her Amazon stake by 42 percent, selling or donating about 58 million shares. She is still worth more than $35 billion today, even after donating more than $19 billion through her philanthropic platform, Yield Giving. Created in 2022, Yield Giving supports thousands of organizations focused on education, equity, disaster recovery, and community advancement.
Her focus on large, unrestricted gifts has made her one of the most influential philanthropic partners for historically under-resourced institutions.
Scott’s donation to Philander Smith continues her record of large contributions to historically Black colleges and universities. Over the past five years, she has made significant gifts to institutions such as Prairie View A&M University, Bowie State University, North Carolina A&T University, and others.
These gifts have helped HBCUs build endowments, expand programs, and stabilize campuses that operate with far fewer financial resources than many predominantly white institutions.
Looking Forward
For Philander Smith University, the $19 million donation is more than a financial boost. It represents trust in the school’s mission, momentum for new initiatives, and an opportunity to deepen its impact on Little Rock and the region.
The gift provides stability and room for growth as PSU prepares the next generation of students and community leaders.
MacKenzie Scott gives North Carolina A&T a historic $63 million gift, boosting its research goals, student success, and endowment as the university advances toward national R1 status.
By Milton Kirby | Greensboro, NC | November 14, 2025
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has received the largest single gift in its 134-year history — a record-setting $63 million investment from philanthropist and author MacKenzie Scott.
The announcement marks a major moment for the nation’s largest HBCU. It also deepens Scott’s relationship with the university, following her $45 million gift in 2020, which brought her total support to $108 million.
MacKenzie Scott – Courtesy Vogue
Chancellor James R. Martin II said the latest contribution demonstrates Scott’s trust in A&T’s mission and growing national prominence.
“No investor in higher education history has had such a broad and transformational impact across so many universities,” Martin said. “North Carolina A&T is deeply grateful for Ms. Scott’s reaffirmed belief in our mission and for the example she sets in placing trust in institutions like ours to drive generational change through education, discovery and innovation.”
A National Leader Rooted in History and Excellence
North Carolina A&T stands as one of the nation’s most dynamic universities — a land-grant research institution, a cultural pillar, and America’s largest HBCU for seven consecutive years. It is also the #1 producer of degrees awarded to African Americans in North Carolina and the leading HBCU STEM institution in the country.
The university’s diverse and global community includes students from across the nation and six continents, upheld by a tradition of excellence and alumni who hold influential roles in government, industry, and academia.
Photo by Milton Kirby – NC A&T – Murphy Hall
A&T’s achievements include:
66 patents issued from faculty and student research
A growing number of spin-off and start-up companies
The top public HBCU business school in the country
National recognition for engineering, agriculture, and science excellence
In recent years, the university has experienced rapid expansion. Enrollment surpassed 15,000 students in Fall 2025, and A&T opened major new facilities, including the $90 million Engineering Research and Innovation Center and a new 450-bed residence hall. Four new academic centers of excellence also debuted in the past year.
This foundation of growth sets the stage for Scott’s latest gift — and what it will help the university achieve next.
Fueling A&T’s Path to Research Leadership
Scott’s investment aligns directly with Preeminence 2030: North Carolina A&T Blueprint, the university’s strategic plan guiding its push toward the Research 1 (R1) Carnegie Classification — the highest level of research activity in the country.
The funding strengthens A&T’s capacity in key areas where it already leads, including:
Engineering
Agriculture and environmental sciences
Life and health sciences
Data science
Artificial intelligence
“This is an investment in A&T’s capacity to solve society’s most pressing challenges,” Martin said. “It will accelerate our momentum as a research and innovation powerhouse, ensuring that A&T continues to lead at the intersection of technology, human progress and social transformation.”
Supporting Students, Expanding Research, and Strengthening Generational Wealth
Because the gift is unrestricted, A&T can deploy resources where they will have the most impact — from bolstering student success and faculty recruitment to advancing interdisciplinary research.
The timing is pivotal. A&T’s endowment exceeded more than $202 million as of June 2024, the largest among all public HBCUs and one of the fastest-growing university endowments in the Southeast. Only a decade earlier, the figure stood below $60 million.
With Scott’s latest investment, the university’s endowment is projected to surpass $300 million, bolstering long-term stability and supporting competitive research portfolios, scholarships, and expanded federal and industry partnerships.
Board of Trustees Chair Gina L. Loften ’90 said Scott’s investment will have a lasting impact.
“On behalf of the North Carolina A&T Board of Trustees, I extend our deepest gratitude to Ms. Scott for her extraordinary gift,” Loften said. “This transformative investment will strengthen our capacity to fulfill A&T’s mission of exemplary teaching, innovative research, and service that lifts communities.”
Prairie View A&M University receives a record $63 million gift from MacKenzie Scott, boosting scholarships, research, and long-term growth in one of the largest HBCU donations ever.
By Milton Kirby | Prairie View, TX | November 14, 2025
A Record-Breaking Moment for PVAMU
Prairie View A&M University has received the largest single gift in its 149-year history — a $63 million unrestricted donation from philanthropist and author MacKenzie Scott.
The university announced the news on Thursday, calling the investment a powerful vote of confidence in Prairie View’s mission, leadership, and rising research profile.
This new gift comes five years after Scott’s earlier $50 million donation. Together, her support now totals $113 million, marking one of the most significant philanthropic commitments ever made to a Historically Black College or University.
MacKenzie Scott – Courtesy Vogue
A Boost for Students, Research, and the Future
President Tomikia P. LeGrande said the gift is “defining and affirming,” and will accelerate the university’s long-range plan, Journey to Eminence: 2035.
The university plans to expand:
Scholarships and student support services
Faculty research and innovation in areas like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, agriculture, public health, and space science
The timing aligns with a major milestone — PVAMU’s largest-ever enrollment of 10,106 students.
Why Unrestricted Funding Matters
Scott’s giving style sets her apart: she allows universities to decide how best to use the funds. PVAMU leaders say that flexibility is crucial for sustained excellence, especially as many HBCUs continue working to close long-standing funding gaps.
A Rising Star Among Public HBCUs
Prairie View A&M, part of the Texas A&M University System, has sharpened its focus on high-impact research in recent years.
University officials say the gift will:
Help strengthen PVAMU’s position as a national research institution
Expand opportunities for first-generation and low-income students
Support community and workforce development across Texas
What Comes Next
President LeGrande said the gift is not only a celebration but a call to action: “This investment amplifies the power and promise of a Prairie View education.”
To honor that promise, PVAMU plans to track and report measurable outcomes tied to student success, faculty advancement, and research impact.
With one of the largest philanthropic boosts in HBCU history, Prairie View A&M now enters a new chapter — one marked by momentum, vision, and opportunity.
Howard University receives a historic $80 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, strengthening its research leadership, medical innovation, and mission of truth, service, and opportunity.
By Milton Kirby | Washington, D.C. | November 3, 2025
A Legacy Rooted in Truth and Service
Founded in 1867, Howard University has shaped generations of scholars, leaders, and visionaries. Across 14 schools and colleges offering 143 degree programs, the institution continues to embody its motto — Veritas et Utilitas, Truth and Service. With more than 14,000 students, the University remains one of the nation’s most important engines of opportunity, research, and social mobility.
Howard’s historic role in American life is reflected in its remarkable roster of honorees and scholars: one Schwarzman Scholar, three Marshall Scholars, four Rhodes Scholars, 12 Truman Scholars, 25 Pickering Fellows, and more than 165 Fulbright recipients. The university also produces more on-campus African American Ph.D. recipients than any other institution in the country.
A Leader in Research and STEM
Howard’s nationwide impact is perhaps most visible in the sciences. The National Science Foundation ranks the university as the top producer of African-American undergraduates who later earn science and engineering doctoral degrees.
Howard is also home to nationally recognized programs in business, social work, communications, and engineering. It is consistently ranked as the No. 1 HBCU for undergraduate programs in business, computer science, economics, engineering, psychology, and — at the graduate level — criminal law, constitutional law, dispute resolution, health care law, trial advocacy, economics, English, fine arts, history, political science, and speech pathology.
The Howard University School of Law, a national advocate for justice for more than 150 years, ranks No. 1 among HBCUs and recently placed No. 13 in the nation for graduates working at leading law firms.
A Historic Gift from MacKenzie Scott
Howard University has received one of the largest philanthropic gifts in its 154-year history: an $80 million investment from MacKenzie Scott. Combined with Scott’s earlier gifts of $40 million in 2020 and $12 million in 2023, her total contributions to Howard now reach $132 million.
MacKenzie Scott – Courtesy Vogue
The latest gift is unrestricted — a powerful vote of confidence in Howard’s ability to allocate resources where they will have the greatest impact. It arrives at a time when the university is accelerating its research efforts, expanding campus infrastructure, and strengthening academic programs.
This year, the Carnegie Foundation and American Council on Education designated Howard as an R1 research institution, placing it among the nation’s elite universities with the highest levels of research activity. Forbes, LinkedIn, and U.S. News & World Report similarly named Howard the nation’s top HBCU, with several programs ranked best-in-class across the country.
Transforming Medical Education and Innovation
Of the $80 million gift, $17 million is earmarked for the Howard University College of Medicine — a global leader in training physicians who serve medically underserved communities in the U.S. and abroad.
The funds will support the development of a new Academic Medical Center, a transformative project aligned with the innovation center Scott funded through her 2023 gift. This interdisciplinary hub — shared by the College of Medicine and the College of Engineering and Architecture — allows students to work at the cutting edge of health technology, exploring ways to improve patient outcomes and expand scientific frontiers.
Howard’s Health Sciences division, which includes the Colleges of Dentistry, Pharmacy, and Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, continues to serve as a national leader in studying health disparities and producing women surgeons, pharmacists, and allied health professionals.
Impact on Social Mobility and Opportunity
Howard’s mission to uplift economically challenged students is not just aspirational — it is measurable.
• U.S. News named Howard the top institution in the Washington, D.C. area for social mobility. • Carnegie and ACE recognized Howard as an Opportunity College and University – High Access and High Earnings, highlighting its success in serving Pell-eligible and underrepresented students. • Among Research One universities, Howard ranked highest in “access,” reflecting its commitment to enrolling students from diverse economic and ethnic backgrounds. • Eight years after graduation, Howard alumni earn the highest median income among all HBCUs.
Scott’s gift will strengthen these outcomes, funding both immediate needs and long-term initiatives.
Investing in the Future: Facilities, Research, and Stability
The University will direct part of the gift toward new construction and renovation projects essential to R1-level research — including work in artificial intelligence, automation, public health, and scientific discovery.
Howard is also building modern living, learning, and commercial spaces designed to attract top students across the country, including Black men whose enrollment numbers have lagged nationally.
A portion of Scott’s gift will also support a reserve fund to safeguard the university during federal funding delays and government shutdowns — a serious challenge for the nation’s only Congressionally-chartered HBCU.
A Relationship Rooted in Mentorship and Legacy
MacKenzie Scott’s bond with Howard is deeply personal — shaped by her mentor and Howard alumna, Nobel laureate Toni Morrison (B.A. ’53, DHL ’95).
Morrison, who later taught at Princeton, served as Scott’s senior thesis adviser. Their relationship extended far beyond the classroom. Morrison encouraged her writing, helped her find professional footing, and offered the kind of mentorship that leaves an imprint for life.
The two exchanged letters for years. In one, Scott thanked Morrison for “criticism and encouragement, therapy and breathing lessons.” Morrison once described Scott’s writing as technically sophisticated and assured — a prediction validated when Scott later won the American Book Award.
Morrison also played a pivotal role in Scott’s life trajectory, providing a reference that helped her secure a position at the investment management firm where she met Jeff Bezos.
Today, Scott’s philanthropy reflects the lessons she learned from Morrison: that one can shape the world in many different ways, and that talent — wherever found — deserves nurturing.
Part of Scott’s 2020 gift created the Toni Morrison Endowed Chair in Arts and Humanities, ensuring Morrison’s legacy continues at her alma mater.
A Gift That Honors the Past and Builds the Next 150 Years
For more than a century and a half, Howard University has been a national force for scholarship, justice, and leadership. As the university celebrates 154 years, it stands on the cusp of an even more ambitious future — one shaped by new research facilities, deeper community impact, and an unwavering commitment to preparing students to change the world.
MacKenzie Scott’s $80 million gift not only honors Howard’s past — it helps secure a future as glorious as the generations that came before.
By Stacy M. Brown | Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
There are moments in history when a single act of generosity reveals the moral decay of an entire nation. MacKenzie Scott’s $38 million gift to Alabama State University, the largest in its 158-year history, is such a moment. It is not merely a financial transaction, nor the casual benevolence of the wealthy. It is a moral indictment against a society that has grown indifferent to the suffering of its Black citizens, against a government that starves their schools, and against a class of newly rich who have forgotten the communal obligations of success.
Dr. Quinton T. Ross Jr., the university’s president, called it a defining moment for Alabama State, and indeed it is. His words ring with the gratitude of those who have built excellence in the face of deprivation. “Ms. Scott’s generosity affirms Alabama State University’s reputation as a catalyst for excellence and innovation in higher education,” he said. But her act is more than affirmation. It is a resurrection, and a call to remember that Black institutions remain the crucibles of America’s moral and intellectual power. In recent weeks, Scott has dispersed her fortune with quiet conviction. Seventy million to the United Negro College Fund to strengthen endowments across thirty-seven member schools; sixty-three million to Morgan State University, her second gift to that campus in less than five years; and one hundred and one million combined to Morgan State and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in a span of days.
Her giving, unshackled by stipulations or vanity, stands in luminous contrast to an era defined by greed and indifference. The plutocracy that dominates modern life often extracts from the many to enrich the few. Scott reverses that equation. She does not donate to dominate. She gives to repair. Her wealth, born of corporate conquest, has become the instrument of restoration. It stands as a redemption, perhaps, of what that very system has broken. One cannot ignore the symbolism of her actions. At a time when the federal government withholds support from historically Black institutions, when affirmative action has been dismantled, and when diversity programs are vilified, a white woman from the highest ranks of privilege has become the single most consistent benefactor of Black education in the nation. It is as though she has seen, from her rarefied vantage point, what America refuses to see: that the progress of its Black citizens is not a charity, but the measure of its own civilization.
Scott’s philanthropy, then, is not simply about money. It is about memory. The moral memory of a nation that has forgotten the debt it owes to those it once enslaved and now ignores. In her giving, she restores something elemental, the belief that one’s prosperity is meaningless if it does not lift others. W.E.B. Du Bois wrote of the “double consciousness” that afflicts the Negro in America, the struggle to see oneself through the eyes of a world that despises you. Today, the irony is reversed. America must learn to see itself through the eyes of those it has wronged. MacKenzie Scott, for all her privilege, seems to have glimpsed that truth. She gives the impression that she has looked into the soul of the republic and found it wanting.
Her actions do not absolve the sins of this nation. They reveal them. And in revealing them, they offer a path, not of atonement, but of accountability. For every dollar she gives to rebuild a school, there are a thousand more that others with power might give but will not. One woman has chosen conscience over complacency. The question that remains is whether the rest of America—Black and white alike—will choose to follow her example or remain comfortable in the quiet decay of its own moral poverty.
The Tau Pi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated hosts “The Power of Our Legacy” on October 25, featuring Jini Thornton’s practical roadmap for financial clarity, organization, and generational wealth transfer.
By Milton Kirby | Stone Mountain, GA | October 22, 2025
The Tau Pi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated is gearing up for a day-long workshop this Saturday designed to help families take control of their future through intentional planning and organization.
The program, “The Power of Our Legacy (Planning today for tomorrow’s success),” will feature nationally syndicated financial empowerment guru and Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Jini Thornton, whose mission is to make legacy planning simple, approachable, and life changing.
Courtesy – Jini Thornton
“This workshop is about making legacy planning simple,” Thornton told The Truth Seekers Journal in an interview Tuesday. “People focus on wills and trusts, and that’s important. But so much of legacy work has nothing to do with documents. It’s the roadmap—what people need to know and where to find it.”
Thornton said the goal is to help families move from overwhelmed to organized. “When someone gets sick or passes away, who cares if you have documents no one can find?” she said. “Organization is the game-changer.”
The message: organize your life so your love shows up on time
Thornton previewed the workshop’s agenda, which will walk participants through practical, no-cost actions:
Build a “legacy dream team.” Choose people who can carry out real responsibilities, not just relatives by default.
Name who’s in charge and clearly define the roles.
List key contacts. Accountant, realtor, insurance agent, benefits and HR at work, even the handyman.
Document workplace details families often overlook: manager’s name, close co-workers, and benefit elections.
When Thornton’s mother passed away, she said, the entire process ran smoothly because everything was already organized. “I knew who did her taxes. I knew the realtor she wanted to handle the sale of her home. I even knew her handyman,” she recalled. “That clarity gave me space to grieve instead of spending months searching.”
She also stressed that the workshop will empower attendees with simple, immediate steps: designating Payable-on-Death (POD) and Transfer-on-Death (TOD) beneficiaries on accounts, and updating life insurance and retirement plans. “You don’t need a lawyer or money to start doing this,” she said. “You just need intention.”
Normalizing the hard conversations
Thornton said part of the work is cultural. “For good historical reasons, we learned to hide things,” she said. “But we’ve taken hiding too far. Your loved ones don’t need to know your checking or savings account balances—they need to know where you bank.”
She wants families to bring these discussions into the open before a crisis. “Death is hard,” she said. “Don’t rob your family of the time to be present and grieve by forcing them to search for months.”
Legacy Life Organizer
The Legacy Life Organizer
Saturday’s workshop will also introduce participants to Thornton’s comprehensive workbook, the Legacy Life Organizer, a tool that provides prompts, checklists, and conversation starters for managing critical information. It’s meant for both individuals and those helping parents or grandparents get organized. A purchase link for the guide will be made available after the event.
Practice what you preach
Thornton’s own company, Envision Business Management Group, embodies the same discipline and organization she advocates. With a staff of 12, she leverages professional networks and trusted partners to maintain efficiency and confidentiality for her clients.
“Jini practices what she preaches.” Her firm relies heavily on reputable consultants and payroll companies to manage transactions and data securely. “Any of my clients who have employees,” Thornton said, “we ensure every person is paid on time, every time, by leveraging payroll services. It keeps operations smooth, protects client privacy, and makes sure employees are taken care of.”
Envision operates as a true fiduciary for its clients. “All of their revenue is collected by us,” Thornton explained. “We handle the payments, the bills, the reporting — everything. That way, clients can focus on what they do best while knowing their finances are protected.”
Trusted by the best
When asked if she could share the names of any clients, Thornton was cautious — but did mention one. “I’ve worked with Ludacris for many years,” she said. “We earned each other’s trust a long time ago, and he remains one of our thriving clients today.”
Thornton is quick to deflect credit for his financial success. “I don’t take credit for anyone’s accomplishments,” she said. “But I do know our firm provides road maps and feedback that have helped our clients make excellent financial decisions.”
Intentional wealth transfer in Black communities
For Thornton, legacy planning is deeply personal. Adopted by a single mother in 1969, she grew up in a home that valued independence and preparation. “My mom was committed to empowerment,” she said. “When she passed, everything was in order. I didn’t have to chase paperwork — she left me space to grieve.”
That experience drives her message today. “We work so hard,” she said. “We must be intentional about transferring what we have — no matter how much it is. You don’t have to be Oprah to have something to transfer.”
Sidebar: What Attendees Will Do This Saturday
Create a Legacy Dream Team with clear roles and backups
Compile a master contact list (tax preparer, realtor, insurance, HR, trusted trades)
Record workplace details (manager, HR contact, benefits)
Set POD/TOD designations on accounts
Update beneficiaries on life insurance and retirement plans
Centralize all key information in one secure place
Sidebar: Conversation Starters at Home
“If something happened, who should we call first at work?”
“Which bank and branch do you use?”
“Who handled the last insurance claim?”
“Who’s your tax preparer or Certified Public Accountant?”
Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation will invest $50 million over 10 years to help nearly 10,000 Atlanta HBCU students complete degrees through need-based “gap scholarships.”
The initiative, beginning in 2026, aims to close financial gaps that often prevent students from completing their degrees. The foundation estimates the funding will help nearly 10,000 students earn their diplomas over the next ten years.
Photo by Milton Kirby Morris Brown College
“These grants are a material investment in hope,” said Fay Twersky, president of the foundation. “Our goal is to help more students earn their degrees, launch successful careers, and become alumni who give back — creating a cycle of opportunity that benefits young people and communities across the nation.”
Closing the Financial Gap
Each of the four institutions will distribute the funds independently. Clark Atlanta, Morehouse, and Spelman are expected to receive about $16 million each, while Morris Brown, which currently enrolls about 350 students, will receive a smaller share.
Scholarship awards will range from $500 to $10,000, depending on financial need. The funds will primarily support juniors and seniors in good academic standing who have exhausted all other sources of aid, including federal Pell Grants, state programs, and loans.
A Legacy of Giving
Founded in 1995 by Arthur M. Blank, co-founder of The Home Depot and owner of the Atlanta FalconsandAtlanta United, the foundation has donated more than $1.5 billion to date. Blank, who has signed The Giving Pledge and holds a net worth of more than $11 billion, has long focused his philanthropy on education, health, and community development.
Past contributions to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) include$10 million for the Arthur M. Blank Innovation Lab at Spelman College; $6 million to improve athletic fields at Clark Atlanta, Albany State University, Miles College, and Savannah State University; $3 million to help Morris Brown digitize a hospitality credential; and $400,000 for Morehouse College’s golf program and new football helmets at both Clark Atlanta and Morehouse.
Broad Economic and Social Impact
According to the foundation, Atlanta’s HBCUs collectively contribute more than $1 billion annually to the region’s economy and outperform other institutions in helping students from lower-income families move into higher-income brackets.
“This monumental investment will empower our students to remain focused on their academic studies and ensure that their talent, ambition, hard work, and integrity — not financial hardship — will determine their futures,” said Dr. F. DuBois Bowman, president of Morehouse College.
Rooted in Values
Blank traces his philanthropic philosophy to his mother, Molly Blank, who taught him the Jewish principle of tikkun olam — repairing the world through kindness. “You only pass through life once, so make it count,” she often told him — words that continue to shape the foundation’s mission.
The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, headquartered in Atlanta, supports initiatives across Georgia and Montana, as well as programs for veterans, mental health, democracy, youth development, and environmental sustainability. Its leadership reaffirmed in 2023 a commitment to accelerate philanthropy over the next decade to address urgent social challenges.
Through strategic giving and community engagement, the foundation continues to embody its founder’s guiding principle: repair the world, one opportunity at a time.
North Carolina A&T sets a record with 15,275 students, reinforcing its role as America’s largest HBCU and a cultural, economic, and alumni powerhouse worldwide.
By Milton Kirby | Greensboro, NC | September 17, 2025
Enrollment Growth
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has once again made history. This fall, the Greensboro-based institution surpassed the 15,000-student mark for the first time, enrolling 15,275 students, a nearly 1,000-student increase over last year. That jump of 6.7% represents the single most significant one-year gain in A&T’s long history.
For the 12th consecutive year, A&T holds the title of the largest public historically Black college or university (HBCU) in the nation. And for the fourth year in a row, it stands as the largest HBCU that America has ever produced.
Photo by Milton Kirby NC A&T Williams Cafeteria
“The 2025-26 student body reaffirms our commitment to the people of North Carolina, our national appeal and impact as an exponential, doctoral research HBCU, and the promise that North Carolina A&T holds for students around the world,” said Chancellor James R. Martin II. “We embrace the opportunity to prepare them for a world undergoing seismic knowledge and technology shifts and to guide their development as individuals, ready for lives of achievement and meaning.”
This surge not only reflects national interest in HBCUs but also the powerful draw of A&T’s academic programs, competitive outcomes, and a cultural experience deeply rooted in community and legacy.
Academic Excellence and Student Profile
The university welcomed an entering class of 3,021 first-year students this fall. Their academic credentials tell a story of rising standards and rising demand. The average GPA for the entering class stands at 3.7, while out-of-state freshmen arrived with an impressive 3.93 average GPA. Students came from 36 states plus Washington, D.C., further evidence of A&T’s reach.
NC A&T Enrollment Stats
Once enrolled, students can look forward to opportunities that rival — and often surpass — those of much larger and more established institutions. A&T hosts some of the largest career fairs in America, connecting students with leading employers. Ten years after graduation, an A&T degree pays off. Forbes reports that bachelor’s degree earners from the university enjoy a median salary of $112,000 — second in the University of North Carolina system.
Graduate and Transfer Expansion
This year also marked a watershed moment for graduate education at A&T. For the first time in its history, the Graduate College enrolled more than 2,000 students. The headcount of 2,018 reflects 11.2% growth over last year. Within that, doctoral enrollment surged to 702 students, a 23.4% increase.
The university’s expansion of new master’s and doctoral programs over the past five years is paying clear dividends, both in enrollment and in advancing A&T’s reputation as a research institution.
Transfer students also added to the momentum. 814 new transfers enrolled this fall, a 17% increase. As A&T’s freshman admissions become more competitive, pathways through community colleges and other universities have become vital. These transfers strengthen the student body and underscore A&T’s role as a welcoming, upward-mobility institution.
The university also posted its best-ever freshman-to-sophomore retention rate: 81%. That metric shows more students are not only enrolling but staying and succeeding at A&T.
International and Geographic Reach
Unlike many universities grappling with declining international enrollment, A&T’s global reach is growing. The university enrolled nearly 1,000 international students this fall, a 10.3% increase from last year. Nearly half hail from African nations, underscoring A&T’s global appeal and connections to the African diaspora.
Geographic diversity is also striking. Students come from 97 of North Carolina’s 100 counties, 43 states, and 103 foreign nations. That breadth of representation ensures A&T’s classrooms reflect not just the state’s demographics but also the wider world.
“As interest in A&T continues to grow, our team of enrollment professionals remains dedicated to finding the best and brightest students from North Carolina and beyond for the class of 2030,” said Joseph Montgomery, associate vice provost for Enrollment Management. “We will continue to review all applicants carefully, intentionally, and through a comprehensive, holistic process that aims to identify students who will excel at A&T and become future leaders.”
Economic Impact on Greensboro and North Carolina
The enrollment milestone is not just a number on a spreadsheet; it represents a powerful economic engine for Greensboro, Guilford County, and the state of North Carolina. With over 15,000 students, 2,600 degrees awarded annually, and 65,000 living alumni, A&T stands as one of the region’s most significant contributors to workforce development.
The university’s College of Engineering produces more Black engineers than any other campus in America. Its College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences leads in producing African American agriculture graduates. Nursing, kinesiology, education, and business programs feed directly into critical industries across the state.
The local impact is also visible during signature cultural moments like Homecoming, famously dubbed “The Greatest Homecoming on Earth” (GHOE). In 2024, GHOE drew over 130,000 attendees, with an estimated $11.3 million economic impact on the Greensboro area. Hotels, restaurants, transportation, and small businesses feel the surge. For many, A&T Homecoming is both a cultural anchor and a financial lifeline.
Daily, students pump dollars into housing, food, and retail. Faculty and staff add stability to Greensboro’s middle class. And A&T’s growing research enterprise — over $78 million annually in academic and scientific research — fuels partnerships with industry and government.
Cultural Significance and the Aggie Spirit
A&T is more than a university. It is a cultural force rooted in history, pride, and resilience. Founded in 1891 as the Agricultural and Mechanical College for the Colored Race, A&T was established under the Morrill Act to provide educational opportunities to people of color who were excluded from other land-grant institutions.
That mission has never faded. From the A&T Four — Ezell Blair (Jibreel Khazan), Joseph McNeil, Franklin McCain, and David Richmond — who ignited the 1960 Greensboro sit-ins, to today’s graduates entering fields in technology, medicine, and public service, Aggies have always stood at the forefront of change.
The phrase “Aggie Pride” is more than a chant at football games. It embodies a community ethos — that success is shared, and that each student carries the hopes of those who came before.
Alumni Legacy and Global Footprint
The university’s alumni footprint stretches far beyond North Carolina. More than 65,000 Aggies are active in business, science, politics, the arts, and community service worldwide.
Among the most notable: Dr. Ronald McNair, the astronaut and physicist who lost his life in the Challenger disaster but left a legacy of courage and scholarship; Rev. Jesse Jackson, civil rights leader and two-time presidential candidate; and Chief Justice Henry Frye, the first African American to serve as chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court.
But beyond the famous names, there are countless others: engineers designing next-generation infrastructure, teachers leading classrooms, nurses on the frontlines of care, and entrepreneurs driving small-business growth. The A&T alumni network represents not just success stories, but a living testament to the power of access, opportunity, and determination.
Looking Ahead
As A&T marks this milestone, challenges remain. Housing for a growing student population will need investment. Faculty recruitment and retention must keep pace with enrollment growth. And while graduation rates and retention are improving, the push for even higher student success will continue.
Yet the trajectory is clear. North Carolina A&T is not just growing — it is thriving. In a higher education landscape marked by declining enrollments nationwide, A&T’s expansion underscores the enduring relevance of HBCUs and the unique blend of academic excellence, cultural identity, and community commitment they offer.
“This is our 12th consecutive year of growth, and we continue to be humbled and grateful for the faith that our students place in us to prepare them for lives of meaning and success,” Chancellor Martin said. “North Carolina A&T is setting a national standard as a land-grant HBCU and model for what it means to be a public university in this new millennium.”
As Greensboro celebrates its hometown university’s success, Aggies everywhere — from North Carolina to Nairobi — will see this enrollment milestone not as an end point but as a launching pad. The numbers are historic, yes. But the true measure of A&T’s success lies in the lives its students and alumni continue to shape, and in the pride that echoes, year after year, across generations.
By Quintessa Williams | Word in Black | September 17, 2025
For generations, Black families and their children have viewed a college degree as the ticket to upward mobility, financial security, and success. Then the pandemic happened, and Black college enrollment slumped, before slightly rebounding in recent years.
However, a growing number of Black high-school graduates — alarmed by skyrocketing college costs, stagnant wages for degree-holders, and the Trump administration’s crackdowns on student debt — are seeing trade-school education as a better investment than a four-year bachelor’s degree. Recent data from the National Clearinghouse indicate that Black student enrollment at trade schools has increased overall, particularly among Black men.
“What I actually hear Black students saying right now is, ‘I want to have autonomy. I want to have a choice,” Dr. Alaina Harper, executive director of the nonprofit OneGoal, tells Word In Black. “And I want every option after high school to be available to me.”
Recent economic reports also suggest that college degrees still offer significant financial benefits. A 2024 study by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that, on average, earning a college degree boosts a person’s annual income by about 12.5% compared to someone without one. Additionally, researchers noted that college graduates tend to earn higher median salaries compared to those with only a high school diploma.
Photo by Milton Kirby Atlanta Technical College
In recent years, however, the value of a college degree has come under scrutiny.
Tuition alone can reach six figures, even for state schools, with no guarantee of a job after graduation. Trump-era cutbacks on federal financial aid — and reports of degree-holders sinking under the weight of student loan debt — has some students thinking college is out of reach.
On the other hand, trade schools and community college certificate programs typically cost far less than an undergraduate degree, most take just a few years to complete, and jobs are plentiful in high-demand fields, such as dental hygiene and computer technology.
It’s no surprise, then, that National Clearinghouse data shows trade school enrollment jumped 20% since 2020 — the largest spike in a decade. At North American Trade Schools in Baltimore, Maryland, for example, 74% of the students are Black — with Black men making up more than 70%.
Harper says the decision to pursue college should align with a student’s individual goals and visions for the future: “I truly do believe that a four-year college pathway is the most reliable opportunity for some Black students in some careers,” she says. “But I also think there are lots of other options like trade or credentialing programs — and lots of two-year schools where you can pair those two things together.”
What’s at Stake for Black High Schoolers
As more Black high school students opt out of the traditional college track, Harper cautions that counselors should spend more time with students to understand their goals, so that they do not feel forced into one pathway because another feels out of reach.
“Students need to know they’re not giving something up by choosing a trade,” she says. “But we have to make sure they are actually choosing.”
For Harper, that also includes addressing the financial realities Black students often face. According to a 2023 Federal Reserve Board of Governors report, white families on average hold 6.2 times more wealth than Black families. That typically means Black families are less able to afford resources to help their children get into college, such as admissions test preparation courses and private tutors.
While Harper urges that postsecondary decisions should be rooted in aspiration and not just affordability — until systems catch up — the cost of college could quietly narrow Black students’ choices, especially those balancing school and other financial responsibilities.
“When we think about how to support academic achievement for Black students, it’s not just about test scores,” Harper adds. “It’s about helping students make informed decisions about their future. That clarity and sense of purpose can be the difference between disengagement and motivation in high school.”
Every Single Pathway is a Career Pathway
Harper says the solution lies in redefining what counts as a “successful” outcome for Black students — and ensuring that all pathways are treated with dignity, investment, and opportunity.
“We have to normalize that every single student is on a career pathway,” she says. “College is one of them. Trade is another. Apprenticeship is another. What matters is that we support them all the way through.”
That means schools and policymakers, Harper says, must stop treating college and career readiness as mutually exclusive. Adding that students should be exposed to both, with real-world mentorship, data-driven advising, and culturally relevant guidance that centers their lives and goals.
“If a student chooses college, we should champion them. If they choose trade, we should champion them. And if they’re not sure yet, we need to give them time, space, and tools to figure it out. The future our students want isn’t either/or. It’s both/and. Our job is to make sure no door is closed to them.”
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Trump’s education law cuts Pell Grants, tightening rules and shrinking awards. HBCUs and low-income students brace for higher hurdles as oversight battles shift to states.
By Milton Kirby | Washington, DC | September 2, 2025
On the Fourth of July, as fireworks lit the sky, President Trump signed a sweeping education bill that could dim the futures of millions of American students. Buried in its pages are changes to the Pell Grant program — a 50-year lifeline for students from low-income families.
Every year, more than seven million students rely on Pell Grants to help cover tuition, housing, books, and food. For many, Pell is the difference between walking onto a college campus or walking away from the dream of higher education. Now, with cuts enacted, that dream is under threat — and no group feels the pressure more than the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
What the Law Changes
The new law rewrites parts of Pell eligibility starting July 1, 2026. Some changes expand access; others tighten the belt.
Aid overlap: Students who receive other grants — state aid, institutional scholarships, or private awards — that fully cover the cost of attendance will lose Pell eligibility. That means “full-ride” athletes, many of them from low-income families, will miss out on support for everyday living costs.
Income and assets:Students with a Student Aid Index (SAI) double the maximum Pell award will also be cut off. Supporters call it a fairness tweak; critics see it as punishing students whose families look wealthier on paper than they really are.
Foreign income counts: Families with income abroad will see it added into Pell calculations.
Family protections return: Small businesses, family farms, and now family fisheries are again shielded from aid calculations, undoing an earlier change that penalized them.
At the same time, Pell eligibility expands to cover very-short-term training programs — eight to fifteen weeks long — giving students a path to credentials in high-demand trades. But without data reporting or accountability built into the law, some fear shady operators will swoop in to grab federal money without delivering real value.
The Cut That Hurts Most
The law sets the stage for a $9 billion reduction in Pell funding. Beginning with the 2026–27 academic year, the maximum grant will fall from $7,395 to $5,710. Students must complete 30 credit hours annually — 15 a semester — to receive the full award. Those who attend part-time, often working parents or adult learners, will receive smaller grants or none at all.
Community colleges could be hit hardest. Many of their students juggle jobs, childcare, and school. Twelve credits a semester has long been considered full-time. Now, under the new rule, it won’t be enough.
“Students who can’t carry a full load will be shut out entirely,” warned one higher-ed advocate.
HBCUs on the Front Lines
For HBCUs, where Pell recipients make up the majority of students, the stakes could not be higher.
Tuskegee University President Mark A. Brown told senators that Pell cuts would force students to borrow more — or not enroll at all. “Today, Pell Grants cover only 31 percent of average public college costs, compared to 79 percent in 1975,” he said. “Cutting further puts college out of reach for millions.”
The warning comes as HBCUs face another blow: more than $140 million in federal grants have been canceled since March, including awards for research and scholarships at Hampton, Howard, Tennessee State, Florida A&M, and Morehouse. For campuses already under-resourced, this one-two punch — canceled research dollars and shrinking Pell support — threatens both institutional stability and student opportunity.
“Pell cuts would be devastating,” said Lodriguez V. Murray of the United Negro College Fund. “Instead of cutting, we should be doubling Pell. Lawmakers who wrote this bill are out of touch with reality.”
The Bigger Picture
Pell is not just a number in the federal budget. It is woven into the stories of first-generation students who show up at campuses with more hope than savings. Roughly 61 percent of recipients come from families earning less than $30,000. About 20 percent are parents themselves.
At community colleges, Pell helps single mothers cover daycare while finishing nursing degrees. At HBCUs, Pell has opened doors for generations of Black students locked out of wealth-building opportunities by systemic racism. Since its creation, Pell has supported more than 80 million low-income families.
Cutting the program now, analysts say, is a step backward. Katherine Meyer at Brookings called it a “retreat from the federal role in higher education” that will leave states and families scrambling. “Without robust federal funding, the end result will be fewer opportunities for the lowest-income students.”
Stopgaps and Shortfalls
To keep the program afloat, lawmakers added $10.5 billion in mandatory funding for FY2026. But this is a temporary patch. Because Pell is funded through a mix of annual appropriations and mandatory money, shortfalls happen regularly. Analysts argue the only real fix is to move Pell entirely to the mandatory side of the budget, with automatic adjustments based on enrollment. Until then, the program will lurch from one funding crisis to the next.
Signed Into Law — What Comes Next
On July 1, the Senate narrowly passed the reconciliation package — with Vice President J.D. Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. The House approved the Senate’s version two days later, and President Trump signed it into law on July 4.
That means the Pell changes are now part of law. The next battles will focus on implementation and oversight. The Department of Education faces a tight deadline to enforce the new eligibility rules by 2026. With staffing cuts underway, states may have to step in with stronger consumer protections to ensure quality outcomes, especially for fast-track training programs.
Meanwhile, advocates are preparing the next front: pushing future Congresses to restore or expand Pell. Already, Democrats and higher-ed groups are drafting proposals to revisit the maximum award and eligibility definitions in the next budget cycle. Civil rights groups are also weighing legal challenges, arguing that the changes disproportionately harm Black, Latino, and low-income students.
In other words, the law may have passed — but the debate over Pell’s future is far from over.
Why It Matters
For half a century, Pell Grants have embodied America’s promise: that college should be within reach for anyone willing to work for it. Cuts now would betray that promise, slamming shut doors of opportunity just when the country needs more trained workers, more teachers, more nurses, more innovators.
And for HBCUs — institutions born in struggle and sustained by faith in education’s power to transform lives — the stakes are even higher. Pell is not just financial aid. It is survival.
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