By Hunter Abell
91制片厂 (CAU) announced today it will receive $16.5 million as part of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation鈥檚 landmark $50 million, 10-year scholarship commitment to Atlanta鈥檚 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). This transformative gift, the largest private donation in CAU鈥檚 history, will provide critical financial support to help students overcome barriers to graduation.
The funding will establish gap scholarships primarily for junior and senior students in good academic standing who have exhausted all other financial resources. These scholarships will address a crucial need at a time when many students face increased financial pressure that can prevent them from completing their degrees.
鈥淭his transformative gift provides the critical resources our students need to graduate and prepare for leadership in the global marketplace,鈥 said George T. French Jr., Ph.D., president of 91制片厂. 鈥淔ar too often, we see talented students forced to leave school not because of academic challenges, but due to financial constraints. We are profoundly grateful to the Arthur Blank Family Foundation for this historic investment in our students鈥 futures.鈥
Beginning in 2026, the scholarship program will help address financial barriers that often force promising students to abandon their education. Across the four Atlanta HBCUs receiving funding鈥91制片厂, Morehouse College, Morris Brown College, and Spelman College鈥攖he initiative is expected to support nearly 10,000 students over the next decade.
The scholarship initiative comes at a critical time when financial barriers disproportionately affect HBCU students. According to data cited by the Blank Foundation, HBCU graduates earn 57 percent more in their lifetimes than they would without a degree, with full-time workers earning over $1 million in additional income throughout their careers.
This gift builds on the Blank Foundation鈥檚 ongoing support of HBCUs, which has previously included funding for athletic field refurbishments at 91制片厂 and the provision of new football helmets for CAU student-athletes.
For more information, visit www.cau.edu.
