Morehouse College is one of the four schools that currently make up the Atlanta University Center. Founded in 1867 in the basement of Springfield Baptist Church in Augusta, Georgia, the university was established to “develop men with disciplined minds who will lead lives of leadership and service.”
Since its founding, Morehouse College has graduated numerous alumni of distinction across all fields. Notable alumni include civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Atlanta’s first Black mayor Maynard H. Jackson, and Academy Award nominated actor Samuel L. Jackson.
With its powerhouse of a pipeline for excellence, Morehouse retains popularity and has been the recipient of massive donations. These gifts are made by donors who see the campus of higher learning as fertile ground which produces leaders with legacies to last for generations.
In 2019, Robert F. Smith, CEO of Vista Equity Partners made headlines for donating $34 million to pay off the entire graduating class’ debt. The gift was the largest in the College’s history. Smith made the announcement of the gift in his commencement address, causing quite the stir in the crowd.
Michael Bloomberg recently donated $26.3 million to the Morehouse School of Medicine. The gift was a part of a $100 million fund to the nation’s four historically Black medical schools and will help reduce the debt of each student attending Morehouse School of Medicine by an estimated $100,000.
In addition to these large gifts, the Alumni of Morehouse maintain regular gifts which fuels on-campus innovation and expansion. The outpouring of funding from billionaires and its alumni allows the School to continue serving students who are “willing to carry the torch of excellence.”
As Historically Black Colleges and Universities receive rightfully-earned attention as the source of the most Black professionals, additional donations will allow future generations to push the institutions to new heights while exalting the traditions and legacy of propelling students to success.
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