Spelman Students Among First Graduates Supported by Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Scholarship Initiative

Over $1.65 million in Funding Has Helped 189 Spelman Students Stay on Track to Graduation Through AMBFF’s Landmark HBCU Initiative

The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation recently announced early milestones from its $50 million, 10-year scholarship initiative supporting students at Spelman College, Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University.

Since the launch of the initiative in October 2025, AMBFF has distributed over $1.65 million to 189 Spelman students. Among the first Spelman recipients are recent graduates Gianna Burns Ferguson and Lillian English, whose academic journeys were strengthened through scholarship support that helped remove financial obstacles during the final stretch of their college careers.

For Burns Ferguson, a psychology major from Maryland, the scholarship provided more than financial assistance—it reinforced her ability to complete her Spelman experience surrounded by a community of ambitious scholars and future leaders.

“I’ve never been around this many people that have this much drive and this much passion,” said Burns Ferguson in an interview with AMBFF highlighting the scholarship initiative. “This scholarship means the world to me.”

To date, the initiative has distributed more than $4.2 million in scholarship funding to nearly 600 students across the Atlanta University Center Consortium institutions. The funding is directed toward students in their junior and senior years, when financial gaps often become most acute and traditional sources of aid have been exhausted.

“We’ve seen what’s possible when students get the support they need to cross the finish line,” said Margaret Connelly, managing director of Founder Initiatives at the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. “That’s what drives this work, and why we hope this initiative encourages others to invest in closing these gaps and helping more students achieve the futures they’ve worked so hard to reach.”

The success of Burns Ferguson, English and their fellow graduates reflect the power of investing in student persistence and completion. As the initiative continues over the next decade, it is expected to help thousands of HBCU students overcome financial obstacles and realize the full promise of their education.