History has been made at Huston-Tillotson University. Yesterday the Texas HBCUs received an impressive $150 million donation from the Moody Foundation, making it the largest single donation ever made to an HBCU. The announcement was made as Huston-Tillotson celebrated its annual President’s Fall Open Convocation.
In a press release sent to ClutchPoints, Huston-Tilloston President and CEO Dr. Melva K. Wallace expressed gratitude to the Moody Foundation for the donation and said that the donation will completely transform the university.
“This gift is a testament to faith, prayer, and the genuine belief in the goodness of others,” said Dr. Melva K. Wallace, President and CEO of Huston-Tillotson University. “I am forever grateful to the Moody Foundation trustees Ross Moody, Elle Moody, and Francie Moody-Dahlberg. Their donation will completely transform Huston-Tillotson, as well as the city of Austin, and set us up for success for another 150 years.”
The Moody Foundation has been donating to Huston-Tillotson for over 50 years, giving donations totaling more than $1.3 million. The Moody Foundation has made it their mission to help the education systems in Texas. The foundation has committed $1 billion to the cause.
“Our commitment to the future of Texas education is at the core of our Foundation and fundamental to this gift,” said Elle Moody, Trustee and Senior Vice President of the Moody Foundation. “We believe in the power of education and its impact on students, Huston-Tillotson, and Austin. Fueling student success is at the heart of the missions of both Huston-Tillotson and the Moody Foundation. We are proud to support this historic institution and hope this gift can inspire others to join us in learning about Huston-Tillotson’s immense contributions.”
This donation will result in so many positive changes at Huston-Tillotson. The new funding will help improve the overall atmosphere for students. The university plans on using the funding to make improvements to things such as student housing and academic buildings, create scholarships and endowments, and other infrastructure projects at the university, helping Huston-Tillotson reach a new level of success and notoriety.
“We hope this gift, focused on the students, can become a catalyst, a spark, the beginning of something transformative for students, this city, and the future of Huston-Tillotson,” said Ross Moody, Trustee of the Moody Foundation. “We believe in the vision of Huston-Tillotson and the extraordinary leadership of Dr. Wallace and the board. Our family has been part of the university’s past, but we are even more excited to be a part of its promising future.”
Huston-Tilliston was founded in 1875 and was the first higher education institution in the city of Austin. Located in the heart of Central Texas, Huston-Tillotson has become a pillar of academic excellence and culture in its community. With the help of this gift from the Moody Foundation, the university will continue to give better opportunities to its students and the Austin community.
“This significant gift by the Moody Foundation is a declaration of belief in who we are, what we stand for, and what we can become,” said Rev. Dr. Vanessa Monroe, Board Chair. “It’s an inflection point in our history and a powerful statement about the value of Huston-Tillotson in shaping the future of students and their families for generations to come.”
Spelman College was the recipient of a similar donation. At the time, Spelman held the record for the largest donation made to an HBCU when the college received a $100 million donation from trustee Rhonda Stryker and her husband, William Johnston.
