Kalamazoo billionaire Ronda Stryker and her husband William Johnston made a huge donation of $100 million to a black women’s college in Atlanta.
The couple donated $100 million to Spelman College, where Rhonda Stryker has served as a trustee since 1997.
Stryker also serves as a director at Kalamazoo-based Stryker Corp., where she is the largest individual shareholder, and as vice chair and a director at Greenleaf Trust.
The Atlanta-based private, historically Black women’s liberal arts college, founded in 1881, has about 2,300 students.
“We are invigorated and inspired by this incredible act of generosity,” Spelman College President Helene Gayle said. “This gift is a critical step in our school’s mission to eliminate financial barriers to starting and finishing a Spelman education. We can’t thank Ronda Stryker enough for her selflessness and support as both a trustee and friend. There’s no doubt that Spelman College is better because of her.”
Spelman College will use $75 million of the donation to support endowed student scholarships and the remaining $25 million “to develop an academic focus on public policy and democracy, improve student housing and provide flexible funding to meet critical strategic needs,” according to a statement.
The contribution continues a lengthy history of philanthropic work for Stryker and Johnston.
The couple a decade ago gave a $100 million gift to the Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine, named after Stryker’s grandfather.
