(Talladega, AL) Talladega College is receiving a $150,000 grant from Alabama Power and its parent, Southern Company, to support technology and infrastructure needs. The gift is part of Southern Company and its subsidiaries’ $50 million HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) Initiative, a multiyear funding strategy announced in January 2020 that provides HBCU students with scholarships, internships, leadership development and access to technology and innovation to support career readiness.
The funds awarded to Talladega College will be used to help improve technology bandwidth throughout campus, provide technology resources for faculty and staff, and build capacity to support infrastructure expansion.
“We are so grateful to receive this generous grant from Alabama Power and Southern Company,” said Talladega College President Dr. Billy C. Hawkins. “With record-breaking enrollment increases and three new buildings on campus, our technology needs have increased significantly. In addition, the coronavirus pandemic has altered the way we serve our students and created new challenges. This grant will help us continue to provide an outstanding academic experience for students by expanding our technology capabilities.”
Alabama Power and Southern Company are honored to be part of a growing group of corporate and philanthropic partners that have increased support for HBCUs in the wake of COVID-19 and mounting calls for racial justice. Both businesses believe deeply in the importance of HBCUs in higher education and in their impact on economic development, innovation and American life.
“Our hope is that this funding will draw further recognition to schools like Talladega College and deepen partnerships between business and civic leaders and these vital institutions,” said Mr. Terry Smiley, Alabama Power’s Eastern Division Vice President. “HBCUs are at the forefront of innovation and academic excellence in Alabama, and across the country, and we hope that our company’s investment will only accelerate this important work.”
Alabama Power and Southern Company are committed to the success of HBCUs and fostering greater diversity and inclusion across the communities they serve.
About Talladega College
Talladega College, Alabama’s first private historically black college, is consistently ranked among the best southeastern colleges and top HBCUs in the nation. It was founded in 1867 by two former slaves, William Savery and Thomas Tarrant, and is the home of the renowned Hale Woodruff Amistad Murals. For more information about Talladega College, visit www.talladega.edu.
