James November-December 2024 web - Flipbook - Page 49
James announced earlier this year
that “The Hard Reset” was over.
“We have our federal financial
aid reinstated. We have our veterans’
benefits reinstated. We have our international students reinstated. And
we’re now the most affordable HBCU
in the city of Atlanta,” the president
said. “This literally was God’s work,
a miracle in the making of bringing
back a school that filed a $35,000,000
bankruptcy and is now back standing,” said James.
the Resurgence
“We are now in what I call the
resurgence where we’re scaling our
academic programs, scaling our enrollment profile and just scaling the
institution. When I started five years
ago, we had 20 students. As of today,
Morris Brown back on its feet. Part of we have about 430 students. We’ve
that was stripping the college down only been accredited for two years
but we’re financially stable. We’re
to what it could afford and a recograising money and doing a great job
nition that things might get worse
of going through this resurgence.”
before they got better. James called
Corporate partnerships have provthis “The Hard Reset.”
en to be a big boost. Earlier this year,
“The hard reset was us starting
the Arthur Blank Family Foundation
over, going back to the basics, startdonated $3 million to enhance, digiing anew to reset and reestablish
tize and market the school’s hospitalithe institution,” said James. “The
ty program. “Any major corporation or
first thing that I did when I became
philanthropic organization supporting
the president of Morris Brown was
us is a testament to where Morris
to ‘right size’ the organization. You
Brown has come from,” said James.
know, we had about 60 employees
“This is a testament that Morris
and only 20 or so students. We had
Brown is back.”
to make some difficult decisions, so
“One of the ways we can supthe next big thing was a four-step
port young people in achieving
process: 1) accreditation, 2) getting
economic mobility is by contribback our financial aid, 3) stabilizing
uting to employer-focused efforts
our governance structure, and 4)
getting our alumni, the AME Church that strengthen the career pipeline
between young people and an
and other community partners on
engaged employer,” said Daniel
board with support. My viewpoint
Shoy Jr., the foundation’s managing
was, if we don’t support us— meandirector of youth development and
ing the alumni and AME Church-Westside Atlanta.
why would anyone else?”
The Blank Foundation funding
With clear goals and courage
will help the hospitality program to
to get there, James has overseen
tremendous success. After five years include an online platform, reaching
students across Georgia and beyond.
of earning back accreditation, and
“The Blank Family Foundation
growing enrollment from a couple
grant
brings us credibility,” James
dozen students to more than 400,
N OV EM B E R /D EC E M BER 2024
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