Howard University Grad Creates App To Facilitate Financial Support Of HBCUs
Howard University graduate Dominique King created the I Heart My HBCU mobile app to make it easier for graduates of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to support their alma mater, Forbes reports.
Unlike their predominantly white counterparts, the average rate of alumni giving to HBCUs is low, around 10 percent over the past decade, according to the magazine. There are exceptions like Spelman College where the rate is almost 39 percent and Claflin University at nearly 48 percent.
The app works by rounding up spare change on credit card and debit card purchases. The donations go to the user’s choice of HBCUs. It also offers an option to make monthly and one-time donations.
“While HBCU alumni are large in numbers, preserving our HBCUs will take a community effort,” she said.
Another feature of the app helps to keep alumni connected to their school and to fellow graduates. King established alumni chat rooms for engagement.
King said, “I Heart My HBCU’s chat integration takes the app from just being a donor marketplace to a donor community for HBCU alumni and friends of HBCUs to network, exchange ideas, support other Black-owned businesses and, most importantly, support HBCUs.”
