“It’s gratifying to know that funds raised will support endowments, providing sustainability to our historically Black colleges and universities,” said Dr. Glenda Glover, AKA International President and Chief Executive Officer.
(Source NewOne):
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated is furthering its efforts around the preservation of historically Black colleges and universities throughout the country. The sorority recently raised over $2.1 million for HBCUs.
The fundraising effort was part of Alpha Kappa Alpha’s annual HBCU Impact Day; a philanthropic-filled day where the sorority encourages private donors, corporations and local chapters to financially support accredited HBCUs across the nation. Alpha Kappa Alpha set out on a four-year mission to raise $10 million for historically Black institutions as part of the HBCU for Life: A Call to Action initiative. This year—which marks the fourth year of the effort—the sorority hit a milestone, bringing in millions on September 20.
“In the fourth and final year of our HBCU Impact Day Initiative, I am pleased, honored, and excited to report that we have doubled our giving, exceeding the $2 million mark, an historic moment for Alpha Kappa Alpha, our members, other donors, and the institutions that will benefit from these funds,” Dr. Glenda Glover, who serves as AKA International President and Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement. “This means even more support for them – our HBCUs!” The fundraising campaign has also been used as an avenue to spread awareness about historically Black colleges and universities and shine a light on how these cultural pillars have produced generations of influential leaders. The $2.1 million raised only includes online donations. Within the past two years, HBCUs have received endowments from the initiative that ranged between $50,000 to $100,000.
Efforts like the one led by the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority are needed. Although there has been an outpour of financial support for public historically Black colleges and universities, the gaps persist. “Public HBCUs’ ability to optimize federal, state and private dollars are bound by issues of infrastructure, capacity, academic offerings, organizational agility and relationships with state actors,” Terrell Strayhorn, Director of the Center for the Study of HBCUs at Virginia Union University, told the Washington Post.
