The grant will provide need-based awards that will augment the standard amount of financial aid students receive at the start of the academic year.
“This grant will immediately help close the need gap for 21 of our Black students, getting them one step closer to achieving their educational goals,” said President Linda Oubré. “At Whittier, our mission is to focus on student success. We do this by promoting a culture of equity and inclusion and by embracing innovation. We are grateful to have the Annenberg Foundation as a partner in this mission.”
By providing these scholarships, the aim is to help increase retention and graduation rates of Black students who currently constitute 5% of the student body at Whittier. The graduation rate for Black students at Whittier is 64.3%, and the retention rate is 68%. Recent studies have shown that the national college graduation rate of Blacks is about 40%.
Additional efforts on campus to support Black students include the creation of the Black Men of Whittier club and the Brotherhood Leadership Program. There are also plans to start a Black Women of Whittier College group.
Ranked as one of most diverse colleges in the country by U.S. News & World Report, Whittier is recognized as a Hispanic Serving Institution and Minority Serving Institution. Students of color constitute more than 70% of the student body. Moreover, the College has been ranked this year in the top 15% of colleges and universities for diversity and inclusion by The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education college rankings.
The Annenberg Foundation is a family foundation that provides funding and support to nonprofit organizations in the United States and globally. Since 1989, it has generously funded programs in education and youth development; arts, culture and humanities; civic and community life; health and human services; and animal services and the environment. To learn more about the Annenberg Foundation and their various initiatives, visit their website.
About Whittier College Founded in 1887, Whittier College is an independent four-year liberal arts college that encourages students to question the world around them and figure out their place in it. Located in the heart of Southern California between bustling Los Angeles and beautiful Orange County, Whittier is distinguished by its small size, energetic faculty, and nationally recognized curriculum. With an emphasis on diversity, community, and curricular innovation, the College’s primary mission is to endow students with the education, skills, and values appropriate for global leadership and service.
