Agnes Scott College Receives $750,000 Grant from Mellon Foundation

July 12, 2022 (Decatur, Georgia) – Agnes Scott College is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $750,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation. This grant will fund the “Acknowledging our Past: Acting Now for A Transformed Future” project. Activities for this project will commence in July 2022 and conclude in the summer of 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.” 

Implementation strategies will include research and documentation of the college’s and Decatur’s racial histories, educational programming and inclusive leadership training. This exploration project will also include opportunities for Agnes Scott’s students and faculty to work with local organizations and community partners. This project will also provide opportunities to partner with the City of Decatur, which celebrates the 200th anniversary of its founding in October 2023. 

“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. Click here to find a listing of those previous awards.