Morgan State University President Earl S. Richardson has announced an additional $1,000,000 gift to the university from retired UPS executive and Morgan alumnus Calvin Tyler and his wife, Tina. It is the third and largest gift given to the university by the Tylers, bringing their total contribution to $2 million for scholarships. The Tylers’ latest gift makes them the largest individual donors in the university’s 140-year history.
“The Tylers’ commitment to Morgan, its mission and its place in the landscape of higher education is beyond measure,” says Dr. Richardson. “The Tylers continue to demonstrate that access and opportunity for our students is the greatest investment anyone can make.”
“Both gifts are for the same purpose because we believe that education is very important,” said Calvin Tyler. “We are natives of Baltimore and products of the Baltimore City public schools. We have been truly blessed throughout our lives and so we just want to look for opportunities to help others.”
In 2000, Calvin and Tina Tyler gave their first gift of $500,000 to the university to establish an endowed scholarship for graduates from Baltimore City public schools who wanted to attend Morgan. Five students have benefited from the Tylers’ gift, each receiving a full four-year scholarship to the university. The Tylers gave another $500,000 in 2006.
These Tyler Scholars wonder how they would have been able to afford a college education if not for the generosity of Calvin and Tina Tyler. “It has been an honor to receive the scholarship,” says Breana Fleming, a psychology major at Morgan. “It is a blessing that I have the financial means to go to college.”
The Tylers say that this most recent donation will be used to provide the same level of opportunity for even more Baltimore City students. Both are products of Baltimore City public schools, with Calvin Tyler having graduated from Baltimore City College and Tina Tyler from Frederick Douglass High School. While the gift is exclusive to Baltimore City public school students, the ultimate goal for giving, they say, has no limitations.
“The scholarship was not meant to be exclusive,” says Calvin Tyler. “But if there is a need for aid in the city of Baltimore, why not start in the public schools?” If we continue to be blessed and we are able to,” he says, “we will continue to look for ways to give back to Morgan. Whatever we can do to help is what we’ll do.”
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a coeducational institution offering more than 60 academic programs leading to bachelor’s degrees as well as programs at the master’s and doctoral levels. As Maryland’s public urban university, Morgan serves a multi-ethnic and multi-racial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information on Morgan State University, visit
www.morgan.edu.
Posted By: Kenyana Madison
Tuesday, July 22nd 2008 at 12:15PM
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