Spelman College announces largest single donation ever to HBCU

Miranda Nazzaro
·2 min read
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Spelman College in Georgia has received the largest single donation ever made to a historically Black college or university (HBCU), the school announced Thursday.

The historic $100 million gift comes from businesswoman and philanthropist Ronda Stryker and her husband, William Johnston. Stryker has served as a Spelman College trustee since 1997 and is the director of Stryker Corporation, a medical equipment manufacturer founded by her grandfather, Homer Stryker. Johnston serves as chair of Greenleaf Trust, a Michigan-chartered trust bank, where Stryker also serves as a vice chair and director.

The Atlanta-based college said it will put $75 million of the gift toward endowed scholarships for students, while the remaining $25 million will go toward student housing improvements and developing “an academic focus on public police and democracy.”

“We are invigorated and inspired by this incredible act of generosity,” said Dr. Helene Gayle, president of Spelman College. “This gift is a critical step in our school’s mission to eliminate financial barriers to starting and finishing a Spelman education.”

The gift comes as Spelman College marks 100 years since its official naming in 1924, the school said.

It also comes nearly a week after the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) announced Lilly Endowment Inc. will donate $100 million to HBCUs. The donation marked the largest unrestricted gift to the 37 HBCUs in the UNCF in 80 years.

The Lilly Endowment Inc. donation is part of a $1 billion capital campaign to enhance the institutions’ financial longevity and student attendance.

HBCUs, which primarily serve Black students, have smaller endowments compared to predominantly white institutions.

According to a report from the Century Foundation, private predominantly white institution endowments are seven times that of HBCU endowments. Public predominantly white institution endowments are about three times greater than those for public HBCUs, the report found.

The Associated Press reported donations and enrollments to HBCUs have risen in recent years in the wake of recent racial justice movements.

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