AKA’s advocate for black higher education by donating $1.6 million to 32 HBCU’s
In celebration of Black History Month, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. donated $1.6 million money to 32 Historically Black Colleges and Universities on the last day of February 2019. AKA’s Educational Advancement Foundation presented each school with the first installment of a $100,000 endowment at a ceremony with HBCU presidents and representatives present.
The money comes from the new AKA-HBCU Endowment Fund which, according to the sorority, was “created on behalf of the nation's oldest historically African-American sorority in an effort to assist in the financial stability of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.” As part of International AKA President Glenda Glover’s platform, the sorority will be donating $10 million in funds over the next four years to 96 accredited HBCU’s.
According to the sorority, the 32 schools selected for this first round of endowments were ones that had a greater financial need. One of the schools was Bennett College, an all-female HBCU that recently made headlines when news of its loss of accreditation spread. AKA International President says HBCUs with bigger existing endowments and lesser financial need will be in the last round of endowments.