Melva K. Wallace, president and CEO of Huston-Tillotson University, embraced Ross Moody after he announced a historic $150 million donation from The Moody Foundation on September 18. This generous gift, to be distributed over the next 10 years, marks the single-largest donation ever made to a historically Black college or university (HBCU).
In celebration of Huston-Tillotson University’s 150th anniversary, Ross Moody, trustee and vice president of The Moody Foundation, revealed the foundation’s groundbreaking contribution during the university’s opening convocation on Thursday. The announcement was met with thunderous applause and cheers from attendees.
This large-scale donation comes amid the Trump administration’s continued efforts to curtail diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at public universities. While President Donald Trump has recently redirected nearly $500 million in federal funding to HBCUs, he also cut grants for Hispanic-serving colleges.
Melva K. Wallace described the donation as “transformational” for the historically Black liberal arts institution. “I see this as an endorsement of what we’re doing and a rocket booster to help us get to the next level,” Wallace told CNN. “The difference maker is that this is truly going to help students.”
The funds will primarily support students through scholarships, as well as enable expansion of university housing and campus facilities, Wallace explained.
### The Moody Foundation and Its Legacy
This gift represents the largest donation in the Texas-based Moody Foundation’s 83-year history. In 2023, the foundation pledged to contribute $1 billion toward education in Texas by 2035.
Ross Moody emphasized that the foundation’s belief in education and Huston-Tillotson’s vision motivated this exceptional gift. Initially planning to donate $130 million, the foundation increased the amount, stating, “Our belief in (Huston-Tillotson’s) vision and in this university’s future moved us to do more.”
The Moody Foundation has maintained a long-standing relationship with Huston-Tillotson, donating over $1.3 million since 1968. Elle Moody, the foundation’s senior vice president of grants, highlighted the university’s special significance: “This institution is special in more ways than most are aware and is deserving of a grant of this magnitude.” She further noted the foundation’s commitment to supporting Huston-Tillotson for the next 150 years.
### Huston-Tillotson University: A Rich History
Founded in 1875 by George J. Tillotson, the university began as the Tillotson Collegiate and Normal Institute with a mission to provide teacher training and quality education for African Americans. It gained its charter in 1877, was renamed Tillotson College in 1909, and became a four-year institution in 1931.
In 1952, Tillotson College merged with Samuel Huston College to form Huston-Tillotson College. The institution officially became Huston-Tillotson University in 2005. Today, the 23-acre campus serves 1,059 students, according to Wallace.
Linda Y. Jackson, vice president for institutional advancement, reflected on the university’s resilience through significant social challenges such as segregation, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Black Lives Matter movement. As the only HBCU in Austin, Texas, Huston-Tillotson continues to stand strong.
“We have been through every single thing, but there is one component at the core of what we do here at Huston-Tillotson University: students are here to fulfill their dreams and aspirations,” Jackson told CNN.
### Continuing a Tradition of Supporting Texas Education
The Moody Foundation was established in 1942 by W.L. Moody Jr. and Libbie Shearn Moody. Moody Jr., founder of Moody National Bank, was a multifaceted entrepreneur engaged in banking, insurance, hotels, ranching, and newspaper printing. The couple created the foundation to share their wealth and impact the lives of Texans positively.
Today, the foundation is led by Frances Moody-Dahlberg, Ross Moody, and Elle Moody, continuing the founders’ legacy.
Wallace praised the Moody family as “angels of change” for their significant investment in education at Huston-Tillotson. “(The Moodys) support education. They support this institution. They support Texas, and I hope that it becomes a symbol of infectious generosity, where one person is inspired to do something and then others begin to follow suit,” she said.
This $150 million gift surpasses the $100 million donation received by Spelman College in 2024, which previously held the record for the largest single donation to an HBCU.
Wallace remains hopeful that Huston-Tillotson will not hold this title for long and encourages other philanthropists to follow the Moodys’ lead.
“I’m calling out all philanthropists out there to top this, because our HBCUs need it, and they deserve it,” Wallace declared.
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