HBCU Spelman College receives $100 million from billionaire donor couple

Spelman College in Atlanta will receive the largest single financial donation ever made to a historically Black college or university, the school announced on Thursday.

Spelman College in Atlanta will receive the largest single financial donation ever made to a historically Black college or university, the school announced on Thursday. 

Billionaires Ronda Stryker and William Johnston will donate $100 million to the women’s college. Stryker is a member of Harvard Medical School’s board of fellows and a member of the college’s board of trustees. She is also the granddaughter of the founder of Stryker Corp., a medical device company. Her husband, Johnston, is the founder and board chairman of Greenleaf Trust, a wealth management firm in Michigan. 

The college is both “invigorated and inspired” by the generous donation, Spelman College’s President Dr. Helene Gayle said in a statement.

“This gift is a critical step in our school’s mission to eliminate financial barriers to starting and finishing a Spelman education,” Gayle added. “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.”

Spelman is a private liberal arts college. The college has received other significantly large donations in the past, including a $10 million donation last February from Rosemary K. and John W. Brown to support the construction of its Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D., Center for Innovation & the Arts, which is scheduled to open this fall.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/spelman-college-donation-100-million-hbcu-rcna134515

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