topic Re: Best College Graduation Present Ever in Community Chat

Best College Graduation Present Ever

Marp — Mon, 20 May 2019 01:00:43 GMT

Billionaire tech investor and philanthropist Robert F. Smith stunned graduates of Morehouse College in Atlanta on Sunday, pledging tens of millions of dollars to wipe out their student-loan debts.

Wild cheers and astonished looks greeted Smith after he made the gift during his commencement address at the famed, all-male historically black college.

"My family is going to create a grant to eliminate your student loans," Smith told graduating seniors. "You great Morehouse men are bound only by the limits of your own conviction and creativity."

More at: nbcnews.com/news/us-news/philanthropist-robert-smith-pledges-40-million-clear-morehouse-grads-student-n1007506?cid=public-rss_20190519

Re: Best College Graduation Present Ever

jeanlake — Mon, 20 May 2019 01:04:38 GMT

What a joy for grads and their families. Best news I've heard today. Thank you for sharing.

Re: Best College Graduation Present Ever

september — Mon, 20 May 2019 01:07:19 GMT

On first reading this...that sounds awesome. But did they all “need” this?

In my opinion, there are people living in very dire straits in this country. I make my charitable contributions based on who needs help the most. Most of these people have never have had the opportunity to go to college, even with loans.

Re: Best College Graduation Present Ever

grandma r — Mon, 20 May 2019 01:31:11 GMT

Congratulations to all of those lucky graduates!! No debt to start their careers.

How very generous!!!

Re: Best College Graduation Present Ever

Marp — Mon, 20 May 2019 01:31:57 GMT

@september wrote:
On first reading this...that sounds awesome. But did they all “need” this?

In my opinion, there are people living in very dire straits in this country. I make my charitable contributions based on who needs help the most. Most of these people have never have had the opportunity to go to college, even with loans.

There were 400 students in the graduating class and while some, many, all or none of them may meet your criteria the median household income of Morehouse students is under $62,000 a year with an annual attendance cost of approximately $48,723.

In a perfect world anyone that didn't "need" or want this assistance would turn it down (we don't know if anyone did) but I doubt there were many that graduated debt free.

BTW, the benefactor is a Morehouse graduate.

Re: Best College Graduation Present Ever

RetRN — Mon, 20 May 2019 01:34:09 GMT

Every school will now want him to give their commencement address.

Re: Best College Graduation Present Ever

Citrine1 — Mon, 20 May 2019 01:37:37 GMT

Yes, I read this on-line earlier tonight @Marp and I agree that it is a wonderful thing this man did. I'm so happy for these students. I can only hope they've learned a valuable lesson from this and feel compelled to be the best people they can be. This man has changed their lives. What a generous, kind man he is!

Re: Best College Graduation Present Ever

Carmie — Mon, 20 May 2019 01:38:52 GMT

Wow, how generous.

I would hope this wind fall also includes those who have worked their way through college and their families who struggled to keep up with the payments and saved every penny they could so they didn't have to borrow.

Anyway, it is a wonderful thing. Congratulations to the whole class.

Re: Best College Graduation Present Ever

SXMGirl — Mon, 20 May 2019 01:42:21 GMT

To be able to start your career debt-free is quite a generous gift. I wish all of the graduates a successful career and a very happy life doing what they love.

Re: Best College Graduation Present Ever

suzyQ3 — Mon, 20 May 2019 01:44:20 GMT

It's the gesture that HE chose, and it's incredibly gracious.

Re: Best College Graduation Present Ever

september — Mon, 20 May 2019 02:22:56 GMT

@Marp wrote:

@september wrote:
On first reading this...that sounds awesome. But did they all “need” this?

In my opinion, there are people living in very dire straits in this country. I make my charitable contributions based on who needs help the most. Most of these people have never have had the opportunity to go to college, even with loans.
There were 400 students in the graduating class and while some, many, all or none of them may meet your criteria the median household income of Morehouse students is under $62,000 a year with an annual attendance cost of approximately $48,723.

In a perfect world anyone that didn't "need" or want this assistance would turn it down (we don't know if anyone did) but I doubt there were many that graduated debt free.

BTW, the benefactor is a Morehouse graduate.

and what if there were some graduates who had worked two jobs to get themselves through college, debt-free? How do you think they feel after seeing the other grads get handed free money after they had worked so hard?

I think I'm "old school". I believe we should all have to work for what we get. with a few exceptions, of course.

Re: Best College Graduation Present Ever

Love my grandkids — Mon, 20 May 2019 02:36:25 GMT

I will wait and see if this actually happens. I hope it does.

Re: Best College Graduation Present Ever

BirkiLady — Mon, 20 May 2019 02:37:55 GMT

@september Hard, honest work has never hurt anyone. Those that accomplished their graduation without any debt by working through school have the self-respect of knowing they did it by themselves. They will be genuinely happy for their classmates. Good people know the difference of sincere happiness and jealousy.

Re: Best College Graduation Present Ever

IMW — Mon, 20 May 2019 02:41:42 GMT

How fabulous!!!

Re: Best College Graduation Present Ever

JaneMarple — Mon, 20 May 2019 02:54:21 GMT

BEAUTIFUL

WONDERFUL

Re: Best College Graduation Present Ever

Anonymous032819 — Mon, 20 May 2019 02:47:00 GMT

It would seem that there are those who would prefer that a student be in debt, and struggle to pay off that loan, than to accept a gift of starting life debt free.

Re: Best College Graduation Present Ever

lovesrecess — Mon, 20 May 2019 02:51:02 GMT

I think it is such a generous thing to do and am thrilled for every graduate who will begin their career with no college debt.

Re: Best College Graduation Present Ever

september — Mon, 20 May 2019 02:54:20 GMT

@BirkiLady wrote:
@september Hard, honest work has never hurt anyone. Those that accomplished their graduation without any debt by working through school have the self-respect of knowing they did it by themselves. They will be genuinely happy for their classmates. Good people know the difference of sincere happiness and jealousy.

We’ll have to agree to disagree. I don’t think jealousy plays a role here.

Re: Best College Graduation Present Ever

kitcat51 — Mon, 20 May 2019 03:21:07 GMT

Awful, just an awful thing to do...the students & parents took on the debt so they should pay it.

Re: Best College Graduation Present Ever

Kalli — Mon, 20 May 2019 03:32:21 GMT

We did this for our son. He thought his expenses were paid through a loan that we took out with the stipulation that he’d have to pay it back. His graduation gift was that he found out he was debt-free. I can’t describe the incredible feeling of relief he had.

It’s such a shame college has become so expensive. It was actually affordable when I went.

Glad to see this billionaire is giving back.