UDC Receives $2.3 Million Donation—Its Largest Private Gift In History

UDC Receives $2.3 Million Donation—Its Largest Private Gift In History

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Erin Looney, Media Relations
erin.looney@udc.edu
202.274.5257 / 850.443.0455

Leeann Hall, VP, Communications and Marketing
leeann.hall@udc.edu
202.934.5047

UDC Receives $2.3 Million Donation—Its Largest Private Gift In History

Funds will support student scholarships in undergraduate and workforce development programs

WASHINGTON – University of the District of Columbia (UDC) received a collective $2.3 million private gift from an anonymous donor to support Black, Brown and economically disadvantaged UDC students in their academic pursuits. Earlier this year, UDC received $300,000 from the donor to support the DAWN (Developing America’s Workforce Nucleus) initiative, and the additional $2 million will establish two distinct scholarship programs through DAWN.

The award is the largest private gift UDC has received from a single donation; the previous largest was a $1.5 million estate gift from the Hilda H. M. and Charles N. Mason Jr. Trust in 2009.

The donor has chosen to remain anonymous. In the award letter addressed to UDC President Ronald Mason, Jr, the donor states, “You and your staff responded promptly, efficiently and with great enthusiasm for the institution and the students you represent. Your passion and dedication are heartwarming, and your stewardship of the gift gives us confidence that you are serving your students with care.”

The $2 million gift will create two new scholarship programs the DAWN Deans’ Community Leaders Scholarships and the DAWN Deans’ Scholarships by Degree and Programs. Both scholarships will be housed under the umbrella scholarship, the Deans’ Developing America’s Workforce Nucleus (DAWN) Scholarships. The University’s DAWN initiative seeks solutions to the nation’s talent shortage by creating talent identification and refinement systems to cultivate and increase STEM-based talent from underrepresented populations. Starting with a pilot in the District’s Ward 8 community, DAWN inspires a new model for education that can be deployed across the country.

“UDC and its predecessor institutions have educated District residents for over 170 years. We are so grateful to the anonymous donor for stepping forward with such a generous gift that will help ensure UDC continues to drive the social mobility of its students and develop the next generation of leaders,” said President Mason. “Through the newly-created DAWN Scholarships, the gift will allow more students – especially those from underrepresented and economically disadvantaged groups – to pursue their educational goals while reducing their financial burdens.”

The DAWN Deans’ Community Leaders Scholarships will provide a total of $300,000 over three years toward living allowances and scholarships for students who demonstrate exemplary community involvement or commitment to solving community issues. The DAWN Deans’ Scholarships by Degree and Programs will be awarded across selected University undergraduate degree and workforce development programs, and scholarship eligibility requirements will vary per program. The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS); College of Arts and Sciences (CAS); School of Business and Public Administration (SBPA) and College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES) will each receive $300,000 over three years. The Community College and Workforce Development and Lifelong Learning (WDLL) will receive $252,000 and $248,000, respectively, over three years.

To be eligible for the scholarships, degree-seeking students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 and at least six credits per semester. WDLL students must have a high school diploma or GED certificate. Students must also be Pell/SNAP eligible. Priority will be given to District of Columbia residents and associate degree-seeking students with a minimum of 30 completed credit hours.

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About the University of the District of Columbia: The only public university in the nation’s capital and the only urban land-grant university in the United States, the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) is a designated Historically Black College or University (HBCU) committed to a broad mission of education, research and community service. Established by abolitionist Myrtilla Miner in 1851, UDC offers workforce training, professional certification and 81 undergraduate and graduate degrees designed to create opportunities for student success. The University is comprised of a Community College and Division of Workforce Development and Lifelong Learning; School of Engineering and Applied Sciences; School of Business and Public Administration; College of Arts and Sciences; College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences and the David A. Clarke School of Law. Learn more at udc.edu.