When Robert F. Smith surprised members of Morehouse College’s Class of 2019 with news that he would be paying off their student debt, it spurred celebration—and questions about the larger student debt crisis.
Topics: Philanthropy
Microgrants: How ‘affordable philanthropy’ can support college completion
When financial stressors put a student’s academic performance at risk, a microgrant to fund a jacket, bus tickets, groceries, or a legal bill can make all the difference.
Gaffigan, Birbiglia, and Mulaney raise $1 million for Georgetown Scholars Program
Proceeds from their sold-out show will support GSP’s efforts to connect undergraduates—many of them first-generation college students—with a vast alumni network, career and academic help, mentorship programs, and other campus resources.
‘All I can do is help somebody along the way’: Retired teachers give $200K to endow scholarships for 200 students at HBCU
Florine and James Camphor’s giving has been transformational for Coppin State University, where tuition is $6,600 per year and most students are low-income and first-generation.
Three questions Bloomberg’s $1.8B gift to Hopkins raises about college access and affordability
Michael Bloomberg’s gift, which brings his lifetime giving to Hopkins to $3.3 billion, will allow the school to establish need-blind admissions and eliminate loans from financial aid packages. But it also raises questions about the role of private philanthropy in addressing college access and affordability.