Students graduating from a historically Black College in Texas were told that an anonymous donor had paid their student loan balances. The estimated total for the overall student balances owed to the college by the graduating class of 2022 was about $300,000.
Wiley College shared the news during graduation on Saturday. About 100 students witnessed when the school’s president made the official announcement.
Adding to the good news, the institution posted a celebratory video during commencement featuring students and the words “You are debt-free. You do not owe the college a penny” on the screen.
In the statement, Herman J. Felton Jr., Wiley College’s president and CEO, said that the school works avidly to assist its students with graduating debt-free.
“Our commitment to our students goes beyond their time while they are enrolled. We are constantly communicating with donors to assist students in these ways so that they can begin their after-college experience with less debt. We are grateful for this anonymous donor who will assist the students in paying off their balances to Wiley College and help us achieve institutional goals of graduating our students with little to no debt,” Felton Jr. said.
Although Wiley College is committed to accessibility for its students and has reduced its yearly tuition to $17,500, including tuition, book fees, and room and board fees, students sometimes still will have remaining balances.
Founded in 1873, Wiley College is a historically Black liberal arts institution affiliated with The United Methodist Church.
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Wiley College is home to “The Great Debaters,” the 2007 movie featuring Denzel Washington, which was inspired by the 1935 debate.
The Wiley debate team won against the University of Southern California’s nationally-known team during the time the nation was segregated.
As the institution prepares to close the academic semester and prepares for its 150th celebrations beginning in July, the anonymous donation was a great way to end the semester and start the celebration of 150 years of the College’s contributions to the world.
