Spelman College in Atlanta has received a $100 million gift – the largest donation ever to a historically Black college or university.
Spelman says the donation was made by businesswoman and philanthropist Ronda Stryker and her husband, William Johnston, chairman of Greenleaf Trust.
Stryker has been a Spelman College trustee since 1997.
The college says $75 million of the $100 million will go to endowed scholarships for future students. The remaining $25 million will be used to develop an academic focus on public policy and democracy, improve student housing and provide flexible funding to meet strategic needs.
“This gift is a critical step in our school’s mission to eliminate financial barriers to starting and finishing a Spelman education,” said Helene Gayle, president of Spelman College.
Mike Kennedy has been writing about education forAmerican School & Universitysince 1999. He also has reported on schools and other topics for The Chicago Tribune, The Kansas City Star, The Kansas City Times and City News Bureau of Chicago. He is a graduate of Michigan State University.
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