HBCU Huston-Tillotson University Secures Landmark $150M Donation

Huston-Tillotson University in Austin, Texas, has announced a transformative $150 million donation from the Moody Foundation.

School officials believe that it is the largest single donation ever made to a Historically Black College or University in the United States.

The donation will enable Huston-Tillotson to serve more students and meet a broader range of needs, from scholarships to research labs to enhanced campus housing and classrooms.

This comes as the university celebrates its 150th anniversary, making the timing both symbolic and monumental.

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Huston-Tillotson’s Transformative Gift to Celebrate Remarkable Legacy

The historic announcement was made during the university’s annual President’s Fall Opening Convocation. It marks a bold new chapter in Huston-Tillotson’s remarkable 150-year legacy as Austin’s pioneering institution of higher education.

“This gift is a testament to faith, prayer, and the genuine belief in the goodness of others,” said Dr. Melva K. Wallace, President and CEO of Huston-Tillotson University. “I am forever grateful to the Moody Foundation trustees Ross Moody, Elle Moody, and Francie Moody-Dahlberg. Their donation will completely transform Huston-Tillotson, as well as the city of Austin, and set us up for success for another 150 years.”

The Moody Foundation, based in Galveston, Texas, is popular for supporting education, arts, and community initiatives across the state. This $150 million commitment is the largest donation in the foundation’s history and part of its broader pledge to invest $1 billion in Texas education by 2035.

The foundation had given about $1.3 million to Huston-Tillotson since 1968. Ross Moody said he approached the university about a year ago to understand its current needs and goals. When he and other trustees did, they became inspired by the university’s vision, leadership, and potential, and wanted to catalyze the university into further growth. 

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“We felt called to do something extraordinary, for this extraordinary school,” Moody said at the convocation. “I stand before you today to say this clearly: We, the Moody Foundation, believe in you. We believe in all of you, and we are proud to make a historic gift to Huston-Tillotson University.”

Moody Foundation leaders noted that Huston-Tillotson’s legacy as Austin’s only HBCU and its growing role in shaping Black excellence made the university an ideal partner for such an unprecedented investment.

Dr. Melva K. Wallace, President and CEO of Huston-Tillotson University, reacts as Ross Moody and his daughter Elle Moody announced the $150 million donation

About The HBCU Huston-Tillotson University

Huston-Tillotson is a private, church-based institution home to about 1,000 students, with plans to expand to 1,700 by 2034. With a vision of “a connected world where diversity of thought matters,” the university aims to educate leaders with knowledge, passion, and values, according to its mission statement. 

When Wallace became president in 2022, she informed students that Huston-Tillotson would no longer be the quiet school. This year, the university ranked ninth nationally for top performers on social mobility by U.S. News and World Report, and was ranked the top private HBCU in Texas. 

In the past year, Huston-Tillotson announced a planned expansion to California, hosted its inaugural Artificial Intelligence Conference, and saw its highest traditional undergraduate enrollment in 10 years. 

The foundation’s support will fund student-centered initiatives and capital projects, such as student housing, academic centers, a new arena, and research labs, in line with Huston-Tillotson’s master plan. Officials said the support will also establish endowments to support scholarships.

“The future of Huston-Tillotson students, the future of Huston-Tillotson and the future of Austin, Texas, are all profoundly and positively impacted today,” Watson said. “This gift will help people feel they belong and find a home here, and then they would be in position to belong once they graduated, because they would be able to get key positions in the city.”

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Former U.S. President Bill Clinton applauded the historic investment in a special-made video to the Huston-Tillotson campus, thanking the Moody foundation and the leaders who will lead the transformation.

“As the largest single gift ever received by an HBCU, it will transform HT’s campus, and open doors of opportunity to even more students, preparing them for a successful life of leadership” Clinton said. “Your efforts will not only change lives, it will change the future of Texas and our entire country. Thank you.”

Main Image: Ross Moody, Dr. Melva K. Wallace, President and CEO of Huston-Tillotson University, and Elle Moody. Image Credit: Kevin Garner, Huston-Tillotson