FORT VALLEY, Ga. (AP) — An anonymous donor has given $2.5 million to Fort Valley State University — the largest single gift in the school’s history, the historically Black university said.
The donation will support the Finish Line initiative, a scholarship program that helps students who would otherwise be unable to finish their degrees because of financial barriers, the school said in a news release.
“This extremely generous donation is a transformative gift that will make a significant difference in the lives of many students,” university president Paul Jones said in the release Monday. “This type of philanthropy is a clear recognition that higher education is a proven pathway to opportunity for students from underserved communities with socioeconomic challenges.”
The university said the money will provide scholarships to more than 500 students over the next three years. The scholarship generally goes to juniors and seniors majoring in fields having to do with agriculture, food science, engineering, computer science, health care and business and is meant to cover educational expenses not covered by financial aid. The university says it plans to expand the scholarship to include non-traditional students and those who demonstrate “exceptional student engagement and leadership,” the release says.
The same anonymous donor previously contributed $250,000 to the Finish Line program in August, the statement said.
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