I will never forget the time when I was in tears at the financial aid office.
It was the end of my first semester at USC, and I did not have enough money to cover tuition and expenses for the next semester. Someway, somehow, saved by grace, miracles were pulled off not once but many times in my undergraduate experience.
I know many first-generation students experience this sinking feeling with limited financial support or standing. Some, were not as fortunate as I was and had to drop out of school, some never returned.
Access to a world-class education for bright and gifted students no matter their financial standing should be a given, no barriers should exist for deserving students. Even today, education is still a ticket to the middle class.
It is with this experience in mind that compelled me to join forces with my sorority sisters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. who went to USC to form an endowment committee to support Black women at the university in perpetuity.
Sorors @Pam Covington, Cydia Garrett, Nichola Hines, Venita Jacobson Johnson, Schirrell Walker-Johnson, Ingrid Williams, and myself have been working for a few years as the Alumnae of Upsilon Endowment Committee.
I am pleased to announce with the support of many friends and donors, we have made history, right on time with our centennial celebration of the Upsilon Chapter.
We are the first Black Greek letter organization and possible Black led organization to establish an endowment to the university in support of Black scholars.
I was honored to present our check for $100,000.00 to the Black Alumni organization.
Dreams really do come true!
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