UNCF and AME’s Second Episcopal District: Working Together to Help Students

Of all the organizations whose support helps students go to and through college at UNCF-member HBCUs, no friendship goes back further, or is stronger today, than the bond between the private colleges and universities that are members of UNCF and the nation’s African American churches. And none of those bonds is stronger than the one with the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), which founded—and continues to support—three of UNCF’s member HBCUs: Allen University, Edward Waters College and Wilberforce University.

AME’s Second Episcopal District, which is headquartered in Washington, DC, and includes in its service area the DC-Maryland-Virginia (DMV) metropolitan area, has become one of the most  generous investors in better futures for students in the DMV, averaging more than $70,000 per year in contributions to UNCF. The District is led by Bishop James Davis, who holds degrees from two UNCF-member HBCUs.

As with all good investments, the support for UNCF, its HBCUs and their students from the Second Episcopal District and others has earned a significant return. Almost 600 DC students attend UNCF-member HBCUs, which receive financial support from UNCF to keep their academic programs strong, their tuitions affordable and their student aid available. UNCF has awarded more than 100 scholarships, with a value of almost $1.25 million, to DC students, to Washington students, scholarships whose recipients have a six-year graduation rate of 70%, almost double the graduation rate for all African American college students.

The Second Episcopal District’s support for UNCF is their investment. Those students are their dividend.