In the Press
Read the latest news mentions about Robert F. Smith and his business and giving to support his communities.
Student Freedom Initiative announces Cisco’s deployment of wireless 5G service at Claflin University
01/10/2023
Student Freedom Initiative and Cisco announced a partnership to deliver wireless 5G internet service to Claflin University, a historically black university in Orangeburg, South Carolina. The program will provide students and staff at the university with reliable internet connection. “It is critical – now more than ever that we ensure all students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have dependable high-speed internet if they are to compete in our 21st-century digital economy,” said Robert F. Smith, founder and board chairman of Student Freedom Initiative, and founder, chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners.
Read Article“Horizons Young Artist” Sterling Elliott Performs at Massry Center
01/08/2023
Young cellist Sterling Elliott will perform at the Massry Center for the Arts in Albany, NY, this Friday, January 13th. A Kovner Fellow at the Juilliard School, Elliott performs on a 1741 Gennaro Gagliano cello on loan through the Robert F. Smith Fine String Patron Program, in partnership with the Sphinx Organization.
Read ArticleWATCH: Student debt relief is in legal limbo, but advocates still have a ‘toolbox’ of solutions
12/28/2022
President Biden’s student debt cancellation plan is in “legal limbo” until the Supreme Court makes a decision on its constitutionality. The burden of student loan debt disproportionately impacts students of color, with Black students more likely to go into debt and to borrow larger amounts than white students. This problem gained national attention in 2019, when Robert F. Smith paid off the student loan debt of the entire graduating class of Morehouse College.
Read ArticleSolidarity grows between Blacks and Jews
12/28/2022
Civil Rights Leader Benjamin Chavis writes in support of the recent call by Robert F. Smith to stand up against the rise in racism and antisemitism in the U.S. Chavis cited Smith’s advertisement in The New York Times, which said, “At a time when racism and antisemitism are on the rise, I am determined to partner with leaders from all faiths to recognize ‘Fifteen Days of Light.’”
Read ArticleDon’t Condemn Al Sharpton When He Condemns Anti Semitism
12/27/2023
African Americans and Jewish people should stand in solidarity together against hate. One example of such an approach occurred recently at Carnegie Hall when philanthropist Robert F. Smith joined with prominent members of the Jewish community for an evening of lights calling for Black and Jewish unity through a new “Fifteen Days of Light” tradition.
Read ArticleBillionaire Robert F. Smith, Faith Leaders Condemn Racism, Antisemitism, Call For Unity Over The Holidays
12/11/2022
Robert F. Smith, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, joined faith leaders in buying a full-page ad in the recent Saturday edition of The New York Times, laying out an initiative to combat the recent rise in anti-Semitic comments, notably from rapper Kanye West. The ad called on people to unite across faiths and geographies and celebrate Hanukkah and Kwanzaa together for 15 days.
Read ArticleSouthern Communities Initiative Announces the Appointment of Mambu Sherman as Executive Director
12/02/2022
Sherman joins Southern Communities Initiative and will expand the organization’s nonprofit-corporate partnerships to accelerate racial equity funding in six Southern cities home to more than 50% of all Black Americans.
Read ArticleThis $1M Grant Aims to Help Robert F. Smith Improve the Odds of Minority College Students Graduating
12/01/2022
Student Freedom Initiative has been awarded a $1.1 million grant by the Capital One Foundation to expand the HELPS (Handling Everyday Life Problems for Students) Program. The grant will provide 2,000 students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) with grants of up to $500 per semester — a maximum amount of $4,000 for their undergraduate studies.
Read ArticleBillionaire Robert F. Smith Seeks to Position HBCU and MSI Students for Greater Generational Wealth
11/30/2022
Robert F. Smith announced the launch of the Student Investment Program (SIP), a partnership between the Student Freedom Initiative (SFI), of which Smith is Chairman, Stackwell and Prudential Financial. Together, the organizations will grant $500,000 in funding to students who attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). The grants, to be distributed to 500 students with a per-person allotment of $1,000, will go toward investment accounts on the Stackwell platform in an effort to increase students’ confidence in investing and reduce the racial wealth gap.
Read ArticleStudent Investment Program Launched by Black Billionaire
11/30/2022
Robert F. Smith is Chairman of Student Freedom Initiative which recently partnered with Stackwell and Prudential Financial to address the income gap for college students through a new program: the Student Investment Program.
Read Article
