Community Chat

[JaneMarple]

@Marp I read about this wonderful gift earlier today and also read some of the recipient's stories. The graduates all had different loan amounts, struggles with working while attending school and others whose parents that took second jobs to help their kids. 

Mr Smith's intention was and is honorable. 

[Zernia Rose]

I am surprised by those who commented that this act of generosity was something that should be criticized.  How is it different from those who receive scholarships or other grants for being from a particular county, play a particular instrument, or meet the critieria established by the Daughters of the Confederacy or some sorority? Morehouse has a storied history as one of the few colleges developed for African American males at a time when many Blacks were mired in segregation, attended inferior schools, and faced daily the reality that they could not attend historically White elementary or secondary schools, colleges and universities, even those that were state funded.  Before they are accused of being racist, it should be firmly stated that Morehouse admits all male students regardless of race, creed, national origin, language, etc. as all historically Black colleges and universities since their beginnings(including those that are coed). A few years ago, many in the press highlighted the fact that Morehouse's valedictorian was a White male; they seemed atonished that a HBCU would have this occur.  

Morehouse educates many students who are the first to attend college in their families.  They struggle to pay the costs associated with being a storied "Morehouse Man."  They are encumbered with debt yet they willingly take it on.  I wish every billionaire would do something similar for whatever school he or she wishes.  

I am proud that Mr. Smith made this pledge. He is an Ivy-League graduate (Cornell and Columbia Univerisities, if I recall) and is a founder of a business that manages billions of dollars. 

No one bats an eye that Harvard has a 38 plus billion dollar endowment, yet its enrollment doesn't reflect that generosity.  Even state universities are seeking multli-billion dollar endowments and tuition continues to rise.  Thank you Mr. Smith a thousand times over.

[Anonymous032819]

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@Zernia Rose wrote:

I am surprised by those who commented that this act of generosity was something that should be criticized.  How is it different from those who receive scholarships or other grants for being from a particular county, play a particular instrument, or meet the critieria established by the Daughters of the Confederacy or some sorority? Morehouse has a storied history as one of the few colleges developed for African American males at a time when many Blacks were mired in segregation, attended inferior schools, and faced daily the reality that they could not attend historically White elementary or secondary schools, colleges and universities, even those that were state funded.  Before they are accused of being racist, it should be firmly stated that Morehouse admits all male students regardless of race, creed, national origin, language, etc. as all historically Black colleges and universities since their beginnings(including those that are coed). A few years ago, many in the press highlighted the fact that Morehouse's valedictorian was a White male; they seemed atonished that a HBCU would have this occur.  

Morehouse educates many students who are the first to attend college in their families.  They struggle to pay the costs associated with being a storied "Morehouse Man."  They are encumbered with debt yet they willingly take it on.  I wish every billionaire would do something similar for whatever school he or she wishes.  

I am proud that Mr. Smith made this pledge. He is an Ivy-League graduate (Cornell and Columbia Univerisities, if I recall) and is a founder of a business that manages billions of dollars. 

No one bats an eye that Harvard has a 38 plus billion dollar endowment, yet its enrollment doesn't reflect that generosity.  Even state universities are seeking multli-billion dollar endowments and tuition continues to rise.  Thank you Mr. Smith a thousand times over.

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@Zernia Rose 

Actually, I'm not surprised at all.

It's a way of keeping the "less thans" down.

It's a superiority thing.

[sissel]

I would love to read this man's life story how he got to where he is. To be that unselfish to help these kids out in a good start. I hope this guy gets on a talk show telling his life. I feel he had nothing in his life to understand that alot of money is to play it forward. Hope this man goes down in history & also hope others with money will play it forward too. We have one life and how much money do we need when we get into billionaires. 

[cherry]

I hope he runs for Pres. I hope those kids pay it forward, they need to do this, when and if, they are established enough to do so

[Love to Run]

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@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. 

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As is your choice. Some people make their contributions on who will benefits from help the most and who is most able to pay it forward, thus getting the most bang for their proverbial buck. More importantly, the two perspectives aren't mutually exclusive, you can do both. Anyway "need" is subjective.

[Johnnyeager]

Once again, I am rendered speechless by some of the comments I read.

This is his money and he is free to do with it as he will.  If someone doesn't want to take advantage, they certainly won't have to.

And how on earth is helping someone out financially (in a legal and lawful way) awful?  That's an awfully, awful choice of words.

It's a wonderful, generous thing to do, but nonetheless, there are miserable souls amongst us who find reason to be unhappy.

[Cakers3]

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@kitcat51 wrote:

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

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@kitcat51   I sense an underlying resentment not based on student loans.

It's not like they used credit cards to buy designer clothes.

For pity sake-can we ever be happy for the good and generous people in this world paying it forward to make a difference? 

What have you done today to leave a footprint of love in this world?

[Bri369]

Interesting.

People give money to schools to be disbursed as scholarships/grants all the time.   No complaints.  Now someone wants to pay off student debt  and it's a horrible thing.

Can't win...

[cherry]

Thank you @Cakers3 . I always told my children to be pleased for someone, when they  have a piece of good fortune. It is so much better to be happy for others, than to be resentful..