By
Michelle McCollum
Arizona Summer Wildcat
Donation from Beau Brummel makes it possible
African-American Student Affairs started building its new scholarship endowment Friday when a local African-American social club donated $1,000 to the fund.
Alex Wright, director of UA's African American Student Affairs, said it would be a couple of years before the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. scholarship endowment reaches the point where money can be given away because in order to be an endowment, the monetary total must be at least $10,000. When it does reach the $10,000 mark, the funds will be distributed to students in need of financial support.
And though African American Student Affairs manages the funds, students do not need to be African American to receive an award.
"Dr. Martin Luther King was for everybody," said Wright. "So the money will be for everybody - black, white, pink, or blue."
The $1,000 came from Beau Brummel, an African-American social club at 1148 N. Main Ave. that donates money to different non-profit organizations every year. Prior to their gift to the African American Student Affairs, the club had given money to University Medical Center's summer camp and the Black College Tour. The money for the endowment came from the proceeds of their 6th annual golf tournament, the Ghetto Open, which was held earlier this month.
"We also throw the best tailgate party around," said board member Rubin Salter. "We're just a fun-loving group of people. People should know that there is an organization like us out there that bridges the past to the future. We are reaching out to the community to instill a sense of pride, especially in the black community."
The members of the Beau Brummel board of directors presented the donation to the African American Student Affairs. Wright said it would go toward creating the endowment because he wants the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Center, 1322 E. 1st St., to be somewhere students can go to feel proud of their heritage in a supportive atmosphere.
"One of the barriers to staying in college is financial support, which sometimes is not a whole lot," said Wright. "If we can assist students during the hard times, then I think we'll have a higher retention rate of students and a higher graduation rate. We want to support student success."
