By Ariyana Griffin
Special to the AFRO
Morris Brown College (MBC) has received its largest grant in the last 20 years, courtesy of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation (AMBFF). The organization provided a $3 million grant to enhance the institution’s hospitality program.
The grant will allow the Atlanta-based Historically Black College to digitize and market its Hospitality Certificate program. MBC also has a partnership with Hilton Hotels, which will aid in the construction of an on-campus hotel and facility to give students hands-on experience and training spaces. This program was developed to help address the shortage of workers in the hospitality industry and will help create a pipeline for students into the field.
Photo: Photo courtesy of Morris Brown College
“I am thrilled about this collaboration with the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, which has a long history of supporting young people, including in the Westside of Atlanta where Morris Brown is situated,” said Dr. Kevin James, president of Morris Brown College, in a statement. “We anticipate Morris Brown becoming a prominent source of diverse talent for careers in hospitality and organizational leadership. My vision is for Morris Brown to emerge as one of the premier institutions in the nation for Black and Brown individuals to acquire expertise in hospitality, with a particular focus on working in and managing restaurants and hotels.”
The grant provided by AMBFF is a part of their initiative to provide and improve economic mobility for younger generations while providing learning opportunities as a part of the foundation’s Youth Development giving area. It will provide support to students who may have challenges when it comes to transportation, childcare or inconvenient shift work.
“The partnership between Morris Brown College and Hilton Hotels represents a promising model of employer engagement that both trains students and provides strong connections to immediate job opportunities in a thriving industry,” said Daniel Shoy Jr., managing director of youth development for AMBFF, said in a statement.
Shoy, who is also director of AMBFF’s initiatives on the Westside of Atlanta, said he believes “this investment in the reinvigorated Morris Brown could be a scalable model for other industries and locations, including Montana State University, where the foundation is funding a similar program.”
“We invite others to join us in support,” he said.
Morris Brown is dedicated to making education and their programs accessible. The online Hospitality Certificate Program will begin to develop in early 2024 and the program’s first class will be eligible to enroll in the Fall 2024 semester.
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