COLUMBIA, S.C. — Dominion Energy is committing $25,000,000 to be shared among 11 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), including South Carolina State University, for the next six years.
The company is also launching a series of conversations with HBCU leaders from several states, including South Carolina, about equity. The first forum will identify and address the wealth and economic gap in some African American communities.
"When Dominion Energy announced our HBCU Promise Initiative last year, we wanted to make it clear that this was not just a financial donation," said Dominion Energy communication specialist Ashley Cunningham. "We saw this as an ongoing partnership with these colleges and universities."
SC state's president, James E. Clark, says he hopes other companies will follow behind Dominion Energy. "HBCUs have been systematically underfunded for decades," Clark said. "The infrastructure that we have is in severe need of repair."
"We do things that are critical for the existence of the nation. By having these dialogs with these companies like Dominion, they can now see why they can invest and what their investments can help with."