Saint Augustine’s University (SAU) has announced that recently, the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church of Atlanta, Georgia made a $27,000 contribution to the university’s new grant for students of the Episcopal faith.
On Sunday, Oct. 16, President Everett B. Ward was presented with a check by The Reverend Charles L. Fischer, III, toward the school’s Absalom Jones Tuition Grant. The grant program offers academically qualified Episcopal students a renewable grant worth $8,945 annually, representing a 50 percent discount off the annual tuition and fees of $17,890 for students of the Episcopal faith.
“One of my goals as president has been to re-establish St. Augustine’s historic ties to The Episcopal Church,” said Dr. Ward. “Through gifts like these, we are able to remain true to our mission of producing transformative, global leaders who are committed to public service. I am gratified and humbled by the commitment of St. Paul’s to our university.”
Saint Augustine’s University was founded in 1867 by The Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina to educate freed slaves. At one time in its history, 30 percent of all African American Episcopal priests were graduates of the institution. The new grant, named for Absalom Jones, the first African American Episcopal priest, has an overall value of up to $35,780.
According to Reverend Fischer, the rector of St. Paul’s, “This is the first of many steps that I envision for St. Paul’s, the Diocese of Atlanta and concerned members of the Atlanta community to partner with St. Augustine’s University – one of the Episcopal Church’s Historically Black Colleges.” Fischer also stated that the gift marks what he intends to be a long-term relationship between St. Paul’s and St. Augustine’s.
The Absalom Jones Tuition Grant program is one of three new grants Saint Augustine’s offers to entering students. Other grants are also available to students who are children or grandchildren of Saint Augustine’s University graduates and graduates of community colleges in the Raleigh area.
— Office of Marketing and Information
