Black students have been severely impacted by the spread of the COVID-19, or novel coronavirus, pandemic leaving many unsure if they will be able to continue their education amid financial hardships and quarantine restrictions.
To support students during this time, many public institutions rooted in the community have been working to help those impacted by the public health crisis. Alpha Kappa Alpha announced
they have raised more than $1 million in a day to aid HBCU campuses in staying afloat during the viral outbreak.The annual fundraising event called HBCU Impact Day was led by International President and Chief Executive Officer Glenda Glover, Ph.D., as part of the sorority’s four-year goal to raise $10 million. The funding will be used to contribute to sustainability projects and scholarships at more than 100 historically Black colleges and universities across the country. It is the third consecutive year in a row that the organization has raised its target goal in 24 hours.
“I understand very well the needs of an HBCU … at a very high level,” said Glover in an interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE. “HBCUs need sustainability so we need to ensure [these schools and] we’ll do our part to make sure the Black colleges and universities don’t close because of finances.
This endowment will provide scholarships for students. We have raised a million dollars in one day for three years in a row … through online contributions and partnerships with corporations.”
Glover went on to say how the funds are critical now more than ever in light of COVID-19 as the pandemic has only exacerbated problems these schools have been working to correct for decades.
“The pandemic has brought to light a lot of the funding needs Black colleges have already have been experiencing for years since inception,” she continued. “We’re hoping that we can use these funds to assist schools transitioning to online learning to help students work through this.”