|   Dear Fisk Alum:  As the academic year gets underway this is a good time to be reminded of a reality facing young Black college students. In "normal" times most would need from some form of financial aid; I certainly did. In these times of devastating unemployment in the Black community, the ability of most parents to invest in higher education for their children is severely hampered. Consequently, student loans and scholarships become even more critical. Most students attending Fisk (95 %!) need some form of financial aid -- so, making a contribution to Fisk is even more important now than it ever was.  Someone recently asked if raising money for a scholarship fund was the right priority now since Fisk needs so much money for other things. Others expressed concerns about the low level of the endowment, the litigation over the art collection, and the status of the accreditation . . . all valid concerns.  My response:  give more money. There is nothing so wrong with Fisk that more generous contributions from alumni, friends and others cannot cure. In the case of contributions to the Rivers Scholarship Fund, those funds would relieve some of the demands on the endowment which is the source of some of the scholarship funds. And your tax-deductible gift to a scholarship fund is "designated," meaning it can only be used for that purpose.  So, you can give with confidence that your gift will be used just as you intended. Think about it . . .but don't take too long. Some deserving student needs your help. Now!   Â
 Received or Pledged: $26,000
from the following donors  Hazel R. O'Leary Delbert C. Glover Dr. Prince Rivers Memorial Fund,  The Winston-Salem Foundation Ida Fernanders Smith Ronald Rost Foundation Rynthia Rost Maxine Walker-Giddings DeWitt Dykes Stephanie A. Bass Iral L. Porter Gwendolyn Pla Isaac C. Hunt Claire L. Carey Quay W. Whitlock P. Gregory Johnson Carolyne L. Jordan, Ed.D. Lawrence M. Jordan, Ph.D. Orlando B. lightfoot, M.D. Alma J. Powell Rynthia Rost Ida J. Smith Muriel F. Storey                   THANKS!!   |