Overview

• Trustee Ross Moody announced the surprise gift during Huston-Tillotson’s 150th convocation on Sept. 18, calling it the largest in the foundation’s 80-year history.
• Huston-Tillotson, an Austin HBCU with about 1,056 students and only two residence halls, outlined early plans for new housing to accommodate up to 800 students.
• Funding will also modernize academic spaces and establish endowments, with additional support to strengthen the university’s strategy, culture, marketing and development operations.
• Leaders say a major share will create new scholarships to ease the roughly $25,000 annual tuition burden, with the goal of helping more students graduate debt-free.
• The award is part of the Moody Foundation’s long-term pledge to invest $1 billion in Texas education, building on prior, smaller grants to the university.