At United Negro College Fund Conference, Rip Rapson Delivers Inspirational Keynote
A vision is shared of future intersections between philanthropy and Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Atlanta, Georgia, December 4, 2007
“What I want to affirm for you … is the Kresge Foundation’s belief in the fundamental role historically black colleges and universities have played in our nation’s development,” he said, “and the essential role they will play in our collective future.”
Read the full text, New Directions, New Tools: A Study of Change at the Kresge Foundation.
Rapson described the multi-year transition underway at the foundation and outlined the nine values that serve as its new grantmaking criteria. He then discussed areas of mutual importance to both HBCUs and the philanthropic sector, including community develop, educating for the knowledge economy, innovative ways to advance learning and practice, and engaging in public policy.
“By training 40 percent of all African-Americans receiving bachelor’s degrees in physics, chemistry, astronomy, environmental science, math and biology, the HBCUs are bolstering the ranks of native-born scientists and engineers who will take their place on the front lines of this nation’s economic competitiveness in the global marketplace,” he said.
Foundations are eager to support “pathways of success for the nation’s next generation” he said and added, “We at Kresge intend to join that effort.”
Kresge Foundation has supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities since 1966. A five-year, $18 million HBCU Initiative that began in 1999 worked to strengthen the advancement capabilities of five institutions – Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona, Florida; Dillard University in New Orleans; Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina; Meharry Medical College in Nashville; and Xavier University in New Orleans.
Michael Lomax, president of the United Negro College Fund, established the Fund’s Institutional Advancement Program to replicate and scale up the Kresge model for the benefit of other member schools. He knew of its benefits firsthand, having participated in Kresge’s HBCU Initiative when he was president of Dillard University. Kresge has contributed $8 million to the Institutional Advancement Program.
United Negro College Fund conference, titled Advancement Learning Institute 2007, is being held December 2-5.