HELENE GAYLE, MD, PRESIDENT OF SPELMAN COLLEGE
Spelman College made history after the school was presented a $100 million donation. It stands as the largest single donation in HBCU history.
The donation comes from Ronda Stryker and her husband, William Johnston. Stryker is a member of Spelman’s Board of Trustees and has held the position for 27 years.
She previously donated $70 million to Spelman, including a $30 million gift in 2018 for the Center for Innovation & the Arts.
Spelman will use $75 million to fund scholarships for students who will attend the college in the upcoming years. It will also use funding to renovate campus dorms, develop focus on democracy and policy, and use the other funds for other campus and educational needs.
Stryker’s donation comes one week after the United Negro College Fund announced it received a $100 million donation from Lilly Endowment Inc. at an event in Atlanta last week. It was the largest private grant in UNCF’s history.
Dr. Helene Gayle, president of Spelman College, shared the significance of the donation.
“This gift is a critical step in our school’s mission to eliminate financial barriers to starting and finishing a Spelman education,” said Dr. Gayle. “We can’t thank Ronda Stryker enough for her selflessness and support as both a trustee and friend. There’s no doubt that Spelman College is better because of her.”
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