What Spelman's $100M Donation Means for HBCUs

As a Morehouse College alumnus, I view the recent $100 million donation to our sister school, Spelman College, with immense pride and hope. This historic gift, earmarked for scholarships and academic enhancements, symbolizes a pivotal shift in the support of HBCUs (historically Black colleges & universities). It resonates deeply with the ongoing need for substantial investment in institutions that have long been beacons for the Black community.

Historic Donation to Spelman College

For Spelman's 100th anniversary as Spelman College (founded as Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary in 1881), Spelman board member Ronda Stryker and her husband, William Johnston, gave $100 million to Spelman College, the largest single donation ever to an HBCU. This historic and deeply transformative donation will significantly enhance Spelman's mission to empower women through higher education. The majority of the funds will support scholarships, making a Spelman education more accessible and reducing financial barriers. The remainder will enhance public policy and democracy studies, student housing, and address other strategic needs.?

It's important to note that the Stryker family's contributions to Spelman extend beyond this recent donation. Their $30 million gift in 2018 for the Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D. Center for Innovation & the Arts and the 2019 establishment of a Queer Studies Chair in Audre Lorde's name with a $2 million match are testaments to their commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse academic environment. Audre Lorde's legacy continuing at Spelman, and enriched by her papers housed in the college's archives, is a testament to the impact of such support. Her work, deeply rooted in issues of sexuality, race, and gender, resonates with Spelman's commitment to fostering an environment where diverse voices and experiences are not only heard but celebrated.

This milestone reflects the critical role of philanthropy in supporting HBCUs, institutions that often face funding disparities compared to other universities. It underscores the need for increased investment in Black educational institutions to address the gap caused by a lack of generational wealth in Black communities. This gift sets a precedent and a call to action for further supporting HBCUs by bridging educational disparities and enhancing the unique role of HBCUs in nurturing future leaders.

Comparative Philanthropy in Higher Education

In contrast to HBCUs, many predominantly white institutions (PWIs) have historically benefited from generational wealth. Notable examples include large endowments and donations from wealthy alumni and their families. In 2019, Ivy League institutions received $5.5 billion in donations compared to $303 million at HBCUs from 2015 to 2019. Michael Bloomberg made the largest donation to any higher educational institution when he gave $1.8 billion to Johns Hopkins University in 2018, totaling $3.35 billion overall. These gifts often fund scholarships, research facilities, and campus expansions, contributing to PWIs' growth and prestige.?

HBCUs face significant challenges in terms of funding and resources compared to PWIs. These challenges stem from historical disparities and systemic inequities. HBCUs often have smaller endowments, limited access to research funding, and struggle to attract large donations from alumni due to the lack of black generational wealth. This financial gap impacts infrastructure, faculty salaries, student scholarships, and research opportunities.?

These disparities highlight a broader issue of unequal resource distribution in higher education. While gifts like the one to Spelman are a step in the right direction, they also underscore the need for sustained investment in HBCUs to bridge this gap and ensure equal educational opportunities.

The Future of HBCUs and DEI

The recent donation to Spelman College comes at a pivotal time when diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices in various American institutions are facing challenges. Efforts to dismantle these practices underscore the importance of institutions like HBCUs that have historically empowered diverse individuals. This development highlights the critical need to bolster such institutions, ensuring they remain strongholds of DEI. As HBCUs continue to foster inclusive environments and uplift marginalized communities, supporting them becomes even more crucial in the current climate where DEI values are being questioned. This context adds another layer of significance to the recent generous gift to Spelman and the ongoing conversation about equity in education.

DEI practices in American institutions are currently facing several challenges. These include resistance to change, lack of representation in leadership, insufficient funding and resources, and a sometimes hostile political climate that can undermine DEI efforts. In some cases, there's also a lack of comprehensive understanding or commitment to the principles of DEI across all levels of an organization. This is particularly pertinent in the context of higher education, where the disparity in funding and resources between HBCUs and PWIs, as highlighted by the recent philanthropic efforts towards Spelman College, exemplifies the broader challenges faced by DEI initiatives. The push towards greater equity in education through substantial donations is a step forward, but it also brings to light the ongoing struggle for inclusivity and representation in various sectors.

This era of generous philanthropy towards HBCUs is a crucial pivot point, one that I hope will continue to inspire further investment in these vital institutions. As a Morehouse alumnus and a passionate advocate for HBCUs, I see these donations as beacons of hope and a call to action. They represent a crucial step in addressing educational disparities and reaffirm the importance of sustained investment in institutions that have long been instrumental in nurturing leaders and change-makers in the Black community. Note that HBCUs produce 40% of Black engineers, 40% of Black Congress members, 50% of Black public-school teachers, 50% of Black lawyers, 50% of Black doctors, and 80% of Black judges.

As we celebrate these milestones, let us also recognize the ongoing journey toward achieving educational equity and the empowerment of diverse communities through sustained support and recognition of their unique contributions to the tapestry of American education.