H-E-B CHAIRMAN DONATES $1M TO PVAMU TO SUPPORT NEW RACE AND JUSTICE CENTER
H-E-B Chairman Charles Butt has made a $1 million personal donation to Prairie View A&M University in honor of University President Ruth J. Simmons.
(courtesy photo)
The donation, according to a university release, will be used to support The Ruth J. Simmons Center for Race and Justice, announced earlier this month after the death of Houston native George Floyd in Minneapolis.
University officials say the center will serve as a “multidisciplinary effort”, drawing from existing programs to facilitate greater understanding of racism, discrimination, and the need for justice.
(courtesy Prairie View A&M)
Among other things, the center aims to help students better understand how racial and other biases can impact their beliefs, affect their choices, and shape their opportunities in life. It will also offer educational programs for the public on how to combat bias in their communities.
Simmons, who joined Prairie View A&M in 2017 after retiring as President of Brown University, said she was “overwhelmed” by Butt’s donation. She said his generosity and his concern for the quality of education afforded to Prairie View A&M students is “inspiring to us all”.