Delaware State Is First HBCU To Acquire Another School

Delaware State University (DSU) announced that is has officially completed it’s acquisition of Wesley College.

The university will inherit 50 acres, 21 buildings, and 14 academic programs from the takeover.

In addition, it will also add 71 former Wesley staff and faculty to it’s payroll.

The former Wesley campus in Downtown Dover will become the new Wesley College of Health and Behavioral Sciences in honor of the private liberal arts colleges’ history and legacy.

It will host the nursing, occupational therapy, social work, and health programs from both schools.

DSU is the first historically Black college and university (HBCU) to acquire a non-HBCU school on it’s own.

While a similar merger did occur between Tennessee State University an HBCU, and the Universe of Tennessee at Nashville, this was due to a court ruling made by a judge in Tennessee.

Tony Allen, the President of DSU, expressed his thoughts about the takeover:

“I’m very excited about what this prospect brings for more students who need an open door, just need an opportunity to change their economic trajectory for themselves, their families, and their communities, he said.”

The former president of DSU, Harry Williams, called the acquisition “an unprecedented landmark in the long history of HBCUs.”

It is estimated that nearly 80 percent of Wesley’s student body will carry on DSU, a decision made easier by the drastically reduced tuition. One year of undergraduate study at Wesley was $43,000 compared to only $24,000 at DSU.

The acquisition was made possible by several financial boosts in the past year.

This included a $20 million gift from author and philanthropist Mackenzie Scott, the largest single gift donation the school has ever received; a $1 million donation from the Longwood Foundation.

And another $1 million from TikTok’s Health Heroes Relief Fund.

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