The St. Louis American Foundation was founded in 1994, and, at the time, would provide about $80,000 total per year in scholarships.
The first Donald M. Suggs Scholarship (named after The American’s publisher and executive editor) was created more than 20 years ago with the University of Missouri-Columbia. In subsequent years, Southeast Missouri State University and Missouri State University joined the group, and the scholarship dollars and impact began to grow.
In 2022, the St. Louis American Foundation, in collaboration with its higher education partners, fostered more than $2.8 million in minority scholarships for high-potential college students and community grants for educators. One university in particular, Webster, has continued to increase its scholarship support and now totals nearly $5 million in its 10+ year collaboration with The St. Louis American Foundation.
After this weekend’s Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship & Awards Gala, the Foundation, with the assistance of its educational, corporate and individual supporters, will have distributed nearly $15 million locally, mostly in higher education scholarships.
With the recent addition of Lindenwood University this year, the Foundation has established scholarship partnerships with 13 Missouri colleges and universities:
- University of Missouri-ColumbiaÂ
- Southeast Missouri State UniversityÂ
- Harris-Stowe State UniversityÂ
- Missouri State University,Â
- Webster UniversityÂ
- Maryville UniversityÂ
- St. Louis Community CollegeÂ
- Fontbonne UniversityÂ
- University of Missouri-St. LouisÂ
- Washington University in St. LouisÂ
- Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish CollegeÂ
- Saint Louis University
- Lindenwood University
Additionally, through a partnership with the Deaconess Foundation and the Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis, the Foundation awards $100,000 in scholarships annually for selected local students pursuing their education in nursing.
“The Salute helps raise needed financial resources for high-achieving aspirational young people,” said Donald M. Suggs, president of The St. Louis American Foundation. “They are critical to a better future, and we want them to have the resources they need to achieve their educational goals.”
The importance of Black educators
A recent editorial by Teach for America asked “so, why are Black educators important?”
The group editorialized that Black educators are “precious gems” to the education field. They cultivate strength and resilience. They are important because they disrupt the institutional inequalities that help with widening the social, economic, and academic gaps between people of color and their counterparts. They leverage their background to repair the botched educational system Black students are faced with today. They are their voices.
Black educators have the ability to relate to Black students in a way that others may not be able to. Black educators have the unique opportunity to showcase the beauty of being gifted, educated, and BLACK, the article states.
The above is a key reason why The St. Louis American Foundation honors outstanding, dedicated educators every year. In fact, after this weekend’s Salute Gala, the Foundation will have honored more than 250 Black educators since 1994.
This year’s two Stellar Performers and eight Excellence in Education awardees teach at a wide variety of educational institutions throughout the region, including: an HBCU, a major university in Illinois, a private middle/high school, two charter schools, and schools in the Hazelwood, East St. Louis, SLPS, Ladue and Ferguson Florissant districts.
One of this year’s educators was referred to as a “superhero” in her district. Words that are synonymous with heroes are models, protectors, saviors, guardians and champions. We feel that teachers are all of these things and more. They continue to accommodate the needs of all children based on their on-going diagnosis of learner needs. We think that all of this year’s awardees are superheroes…please join us in celebrating them.
Tickets for the 36th Annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship & Awards Gala, Saturday, Nov. 4 at America’s Center, are $125 each or a table of 10 for $1,250, or $175 each for VIP tickets and VIP/Corporate table of 10 for $1,750. Visit stlamerican.com to reserve tickets or call 314-533-8000.