Agnes Scott College has received a $750,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation, which will fund the “Acknowledging our Past: Acting Now for A Transformed Future” project. Activities for this project will begin this month and finish in summer 2025.
“This project is a two-part initiative, designed to elevate the lives of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) artisans and workers who built Agnes Scott’s campus and the city of Decatur,” said Dr. Yves-Rose Porcena, project lead and vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion at the college. “The second part of the initiative involves launching strategies to ensure that the contributions of the aforementioned individuals are not erased.”
The strategies will include educational programming, research and documentation of the Agnes Scott’s and Decatur’s racial histories, and inclusive leadership training. The project will also include opportunities for students and faculty to collaborate with community partners and local organizations, and provide opportunities to partner with Decatur, according to a press release.
“We are thrilled to receive this grant from the Mellon Foundation,” said Agnes Scott President Leocadia I. Zak. “This funding will further prepare our students to think deeply, engage the social challenges of their times and ultimately claim their places in a more inclusive and equitable workplace, community and world.”
Agnes Scott College has received seven grants from the Mellon Foundation since 1970.
