General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMr. Smith paid off all of 2019 Morehouse Student Debt
-Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) Tweeted:
This is so incredibly cool and good. https://t.co/ou3VpvTH4r
Link to tweet
https://www.ajc.com/news/just-morehouse-commencement-speaker-pay-off-class-2019-student-loans/XvMHlS1SVyJiG3mRp1WOWL/
snip--..."Billionaire Robert F. Smith....This is my class, he said, and I know my class will pay this forward......"The gift has been estimated at $40 million."
Mr. Smith truly put his money where his mouth is.
irisblue
(32,950 posts)malaise
(268,846 posts)This is wonderful. A close friend was a Dean there some years back
OnlinePoker
(5,719 posts)irisblue
(32,950 posts)SallyHemmings
(1,821 posts)redwitch
(14,944 posts)How wonderful of him!
FM123
(10,053 posts)Merlot
(9,696 posts)What Mr. Smith did is nice, but making college tuition dependent on billionaires is a bad idea. Right now the koch brothers are buying up college departments so to spread their ideology.
Better idea would be to fix the problem of tuition.
And honestly, gotta hurt just a bit for the class right under this one.
Laurian
(2,593 posts)irisblue
(32,950 posts)Has a long section on his philanthropy.
He is living out principles that so few richie riches ever do.
aggiesal
(8,909 posts)This is a beautiful gift.
Acknowledge that!
Please don't reply with your reasoning.
Blecht
(3,803 posts)What more should the poster have done to "acknowledge" what Robert F. Smith did?
StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)It's a gift. Why not just leave it at that?
oldsoftie
(12,516 posts)jalan48
(13,852 posts)Kurt V.
(5,624 posts)a. why is this even necessary
b. how do ppl become billionaires
tblue37
(65,269 posts)bronxiteforever
(9,287 posts)That is truly uplifting and inspiring.
Totally Tunsie
(10,885 posts)How fitting a contribution for her to make! Cold day in Hell, and all that.
BRAVO, Mr. Smith!
MineralMan
(146,281 posts)A lovely gesture that will help those students get on with their lives.
Maybe this will become contagious out there in billionaire land.
PJMcK
(22,023 posts)I'm not holding my breath. The greed of the ultra-rich is remarkably powerful.
Mr. Smith is a generous man. The tuition/student loan problem can't be solved with individual gifts, however.
Demovictory9
(32,443 posts)calimary
(81,179 posts)Student debt can be crippling! This gift is a true miracle. Hes gonna go to Heaven when he dies.
HipChick
(25,485 posts)Awesome!!
Cracklin Charlie
(12,904 posts)Bless his heart.
corbettkroehler
(1,898 posts)Thank you, Mr. Smith!
dameatball
(7,396 posts)serves as an example for others to possibly follow, then live in the moment and enjoy a rare glimmer of hope. Lord knows we need it.
Phentex
(16,334 posts)can't we just be happy for these students for one single minute?
marble falls
(57,060 posts)appalachiablue
(41,113 posts)Goodness and generosity prevail!
Thanks for this good news.
mfcorey1
(11,001 posts)by you and Department of Education with Betsy Devos!
demmiblue
(36,833 posts)pdsimdars
(6,007 posts)Oldtimeralso
(1,935 posts)He claims to be one of the richest men in America!
SoCalDem
(103,856 posts)Philanthropy is nice, but imagine if all these zillionaire had paid more in taxes, and that tax money had been available in grant money to any student with needs...
meadowlander
(4,393 posts)sarabelle
(453 posts)We don't hear enough about them but we should sing their praises. They have pledged to give away 50% of their wealth during their lifetime.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kerryadolan/2017/05/30/big-philanthropy-gets-a-boost-14-titans-from-7-countries-join-the-giving-pledge/#1276b17f4081
klook
(12,153 posts)When things seem so bleak, its important to seek out those who are working to make things better and to do what we can to make things better as well.
Ilsa
(61,690 posts)Morehouse is all male, and I'm thrilled for them. But women, still making less than men, need help with student loan debt, also.