Students at Howard University currently have reason to run around the sanctuary praising God, because Alfred Street Baptist Church has raised $100,000 to pay off their student debt.
Thanks to the Virginia-based church, 34 students—including one Mya Thompson—can lay the burden of student debt down by the riverside.
According to the Washington Post, Thompson, like far too many, owed a significant amount to the university and our good sis was in danger of not graduating. That stress alone is enough to drive anyone to the nearest happy hour. Thompson received a note from the university’s financial aid office and what she thought was a random seminar turned into a blessing in disguise.
Crystal Brown, Howard’s vice president of communications, said the university picked full-time students with a grade-point average of 2.0 or higher who demonstrated significant financial needs.
“I thought, ‘What better way to celebrate Black History Month than investing in the young, black heroes of HBCUs?” said Rev. Marc Lavarin. The Rev. asked his congregation to participate in a 30-day fast and one of the criteria were to abstain from unnecessary purchases and he urged his members to donate to a charity at the end of their fast.
More than 4,000 members from the church donated to relieving these Howard students of their debt. In addition to helping students at Howard, the church also donated $50,000 to Bennett College in North Carolina.
After all is said and done, several students from Howard will sleep easier, but it leaves me with a couple of questions:
Hey, big homie valedictorian, straight A-having Jesus, where was Alfred Street Baptist Church when I was in school? Where they not on your mainline?