Arizona Tribune - $4.2 Million and Counting: Atlanta HBCU Scholarship Initiative Powers First Spring Graduates

First introduced in October 2025, the initiative was designed to address one of the most persistent barriers to college completion-unmet financial need. For many students, financial barriers, not academics, stand in the way of earning their diplomas. These scholarships provide targeted gap funding to students nearing graduation, ensuring that a remaining balance does not prevent them from completing their degrees.

As of early 2026, nearly 600 students across Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College and Spelman College have received support through the program. To date, more than $4.2 million in scholarships has been distributed, helping students remain enrolled and continue their path to graduation:

• Clark Atlanta University: 290 students supported, $1.45M distributed

• Morehouse College: 115 students supported, $1.24M distributed

• Spelman College: 189 students supported, $1.65M distributed

These funds are being deployed at a critical moment in students' academic journeys, often during their junior and senior years, when financial gaps can be most acute and alternative resources have been exhausted.

A consistent theme emerged with scholarship recipients: students who had demonstrated academic persistence still faced uncertainty in their final semesters due to outstanding financial obligations.

Among the students supported is Kayla Drummond, a first-generation student at Clark Atlanta University, who will graduate on May 18. Like many of her peers, Kayla had exhausted all available options before receiving support through the program. Her story reflects a broader reality for students navigating the final stretch of their college experience.

"From my first time stepping on Clark Atlanta's campus I felt a sense of family and this is where I belong. This diploma isn't just for me, it's for my family, it's for my friends, the love, the prayers, the support." said Kayla Drummond, Clark Atlanta University Student.

While individual stories highlight personal impact, the broader implications extend far beyond any one student. HBCUs play a critical role in advancing economic mobility and preparing graduates to lead in their communities and industries. Supporting students through completion strengthens both individual outcomes and the long-term vitality of the communities they serve.

Despite this progress, the need for gap funding remains significant. Institutions continue to see students who are academically prepared to graduate but face financial shortfalls that place their degrees at risk. Expanding access to gap funding represents a clear opportunity for philanthropy to drive measurable impact in higher education.

"We've seen what's possible when students get the support they need to cross the finish line," said Margaret Connelly, managing director, Founder Initiatives, Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. "That's what drives this work, and why we hope this initiative encourages others to invest in closing these gaps and helping more students achieve the futures they've worked so hard to reach."

The foundation projects that the initiative will support thousands of students over the next 10 years while encouraging broader investment in student success at HBCUs and other institutions nationwide. As the first group of recipients crosses the stage this spring, early results underscore a simple truth: when financial barriers are removed, more students are able to finish what they started.

About the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation

The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation is a philanthropy founded to help transform lives and communities by uniting people across differences to find common cause. Started in 1995 by Arthur M. Blank, co-founder of The Home Depot, the foundation has granted more than $1.7 billion to charitable causes. Our collective giving areas are Atlanta's Westside, Democracy, Environment, Mental Health and Well-Being, and Youth Development. Across these areas, we take on tough challenges by uniting the courage and compassion of our communities so we can all thrive together.

In addition to the foundation's priority areas of giving, the foundation oversees a large portfolio
of grants and enduring founder-led initiatives, including veterans and the military; stuttering; and essential Atlanta nonprofit institutions, such as Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Shepherd Center, among others. The foundation will also continue to guide the seven associate-led giving committees operating across the Blank Family of Businesses. For more information, please visit www.blankfoundation.org.

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SOURCE: The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation