ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – A former Walgreens CEO has donated $5 million to start an endowed scholarship for Morehouse College students, the HBCU announced on Wednesday.
L. Daniel Jorndt, who presided over Walgreens from 1997 to 2003, said the gift is in honor of his first boss, the late pharmacist Marion E. Williams. The scholarship will help students majoring in business and STEM.
“Marion was a remarkable individual who had the ability to bring out the best in people. He was a coalition builder who nurtured future leaders of different races, ethnicities, and economic backgrounds and encouraged them to work together to improve the community,” Jorndt said. “It was Williams’ life of service that inspired me and my wife, Patricia, to give this gift to Morehouse College. Morehouse is an institution that is mission-driven to develop service-minded leaders.”
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Williams, who ran a pharmacy in Des Moines, Iowa, was known as a mentor to his employees and the local community. The two were friends for 50 years.
Morehouse College President David A. Thomas called the scholarship a “lifeline for students facing financial hardships.”
“Morehouse produces Black male excellence at scale and is the leading gateway to social mobility for Black men,” he said. “Not only will this gift change the lives of our students, but it will also help Morehouse continue to produce a pipeline of men who lead and serve with distinction and strive to build bridges of unity and equity in the world.”
An endowed scholarship is a long-term gift. The initial sum is invested, and its interest is used to fund the scholarship each year.
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