Agnes Scott College receives $750k grant for two-part project celebrating people of color

Agnes Scott College announced on Tuesday that it has been awarded a $750,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation.

The grant will fund the “Acknowledging our Past: Acting Now for A Transformed Future” project.

Dr. Yves-Rose Porcena, project lead and vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion at the college, said this project comprises two parts that were designed to elevate the lives of Blacks, Indigenous people, and people of color.

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“This project is a two-part initiative, designed to elevate the lives of Black, Indigenous, and people of color artisans and workers who built Agnes Scott’s campus and the city of Decatur,” said Porcena. “The second part of the initiative involves launching strategies to ensure that the contributions of the aforementioned individuals are not erased.”

Strategies will include research and documentation of the college’s and Decatur’s racial histories, educational programming and inclusive leadership training.

This exploration project will also include opportunities for Agnes Scott’s students and faculty to work with local organizations and community partners.

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The project will also provide opportunities to partner with the City of Decatur, which celebrates the 200th anniversary of its founding in October 2023.

Agnes Scott President Leocadia I. Zak said the college is thrilled to receive the grant. Agnes Scott College has received seven grants from the Mellon Foundation since 1970.

“We are thrilled to receive this grant from the Mellon Foundation,” said Zak. “This funding will further prepare our students to think deeply, engage the social challenges of their times and ultimately claim their places in a more inclusive and equitable workplace, community and world.”

Activities for this project will begin in July 2022 and conclude in the summer of 2025.

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