get these nets
Veteran
BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina donates to state's HBCUs
August 25th 2020
Columbia, SC (WACH) — BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina has announced it's donating to the state's five private Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Allen University, Benedict College, Claflin University, Morris College, and Voorhees College will get assistance with financial needs and help in getting as many students as possible to attend these HBCUs.
The donation will be based on enrollment levels for specific priorities according to the news release.
A focus will be on gaps such as technology support and helping schools cover operational costs and budget shortfalls.
Most funding will support specific needs set out by the institutions themselves.
More than 6,300 students and the faculty will benefit from the donations.
Technology infrastructures, devices and hotspots
Allen, Benedict, Claflin and Morris will use nearly $2 million dollars to upgrade their I/T network security and bandwidth. They will also provide laptops and internet service to enhance virtual learning for students and faculty.
eLearning platforms, training and certification for faculty
Benedict, Claflin, Morris and Voorhees will apply more than $1 million to ensure their faculty members are equipped and prepared to offer effective virtual instruction.
Tuition-based scholarships and hardship/emergency relief stipends
All five schools will receive nearly $3 million to help students struggling financially to return to school, as well as those who are unable to cover living expenses (books and supplies, meals, etc.).
Health and wellness services
Benedict will use $400,000 to provide nursing and counseling services to its students.
COVID-19 has made attending HBCUs even more challenging since many students live in areas where there is not high-speed internet service nor do they have computers.
These private HBCUs typically receive little to no state support, according to the news release.
More than 95% of the students receive some type of financial aid.
Most HBCU students are African American, low-income and more than half of them are the first in their families to attend college.
According to David Pankau, president and CEO of BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, “it has been well reported that the coronavirus revealed our minority communities encounter profound disparities in many ways. At BlueCross, we believe healthy communities are defined not only by access to health care services, but also by the fostering of opportunity that comes from education, employment and the potential for an improved quality of life for everyone.”
