Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. helped raise $2.1 million for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The sorority surpassed its $1 million goal in just one day on their annual HBCU Impact Day on Sept. 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, a historic moment for Alpha Kappa Alpha, our members, other donors, and the institutions that will benefit from these funds,” said Dr. Glenda Glover, Alpha Kappa Alpha CEO and International President, in a statement on the sorority’s website.

Dr. Glover also added, “It’s gratifying to know that funds raised will support endowments, providing sustainability to our historically black colleges and universities.”

The sorority has been exceeding its goal of $1 million since 2018. But they never reached the $2 million mark until this year.

Checks up to $100K awarded to HBCUs

Overall, HBCUs received between $50,000 and $100,000. Those universities include Alabama A&M University, Alabama State University, Bethune-Cookman University, Clark Atlanta University, Florida A&M University, Hampton University, Howard University, and Xavier University of Louisiana.

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Four-year effort

Dr. Glover, who is also the president of Tennessee State University, created the HBCU for Life: A Call To Action plan to raise money for HBCUs. Founded on the campus of Howard University in 1908, the sorority is the oldest Greek-letter organization established by Black women in the US.

Dr. Glover became AKA’s president in 2018. One of her initiatives was to raise financial support and motivate students to attend HBCUs.  

Glover shared this achievement for this sorority on Twitter.

“This is how AKAs support HBCUs,” she tweeted. The tweet also highlighted the plan to establish an endowment fund, ranging from $50,000 to $100,000 for each four-year HBCU. But this is not the only initiative AKA has been supporting Black institutions. 

AKA-HBCU Endowment Fund

AKA also helped raise money for HBCUs through the Educational Advancement Foundation in 2019. That year, the sorority raised $1.6 million in endowment funds for 32 HBCUs through the AKA-HBCU Endowment Fund.

The $2.1 million raised still has to account for contributions made by donors and mail-in donations, which means more money could be rolling in. Although HBCU Impact Day is over, the sorority still encourages people to donate and raise more money for HBCUs.

BY:

deidreredhead22@gmail.com

Deidre Redhead is a junior journalism and international relations student at Stony Brook University. Her bylines include The Statesman and Mission Magazine.