Contact: Crystal Drake, Office of Strategic Communications
Trustee Gregory Nixon has served his alma mater as a leading philanthropist for over a decade and is asking alumni and other supporters to materially increase investment in Tuskegee University.
“I am not shy about challenging other alumni to get more directly and consistently involved because I know they love Tuskegee University,” Nixon said.
For example, Nixon suggests that alumni organizations should adopt a building on the campus in need of renovation and commit to funding those projects.
“Every alumnus who has walked these magnificent grounds knows the potential for more that exists here. Let’s get focused on doing something about it – adopt a building, sponsor a wing renovation, connect with our Institutional Advancement team to be a part of removing the crushing weight of student debt many Tuskegee students are facing. We must get serious, get specific and remain vigilant.”
Recently on campus, Nixon visited with students at the newly renovated and restored “Kappa Steps” on the yard, a project he personally underwrote through a gift to the university. Nixon joined several members of the fraternity at the sacred meeting place of the Gamma Epsilon Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., once the site of the William A. Baldwin Monument.
Through his relationship with the Tracking Foundation, Nixon has been instrumental in securing the Foundation’s long-standing philanthropic support of Tuskegee. Since 2020, the Foundation has donated a total of $21 million to advance the education of nearly 3100 students. In addition to providing scholarships to outstanding young men and women scholars in every college, the funding also included scholarships for ROTC students and the 2026 LEAP (Learning Excelling Adjusting Preparing) program, a rigorous mathematics program for incoming freshmen designed to ensure their success in college-level coursework.
Nixon’s financial gift to restore the Kappa landmark is also tied to his support for Tuskegee’s focus on increasing the number of young men enrolled in and thriving on campus, citing national trends in decreasing male college enrollment.
“I was once a young man on this campus, full of potential and guided to act on that promise by administrators, faculty and staff who pushed me to succeed,” said Nixon.
This semester, Nixon personally donated and facilitated contributions from the Foundation that cleared the balances of nearly 200 students, including members of other Greek organizations on Tuskegee’s campus.
Nixon recently received a commendation letter from the Omega Psi Phi Lambda Epsilon Alumni organization after clearing the balances of some of their members. “These young men are amazing,” Nixon emphasized.
Nixon is also a strong supporter of increasing the number of women in aviation, STEM, and other technical fields adding that he is “extremely proud of our young women scholars at Tuskegee, especially the growing number of women students in STEM and technical majors.”
Key'wun Rowles, a junior Computer Science and Business Information major from Killean, Texas, served as the project manager of the Kappa Stairs project through a co-op with Tuskegee’s Facilities and Construction team. Rowles agrees with Nixon that projects like this showcase Tuskegee’s hands on approach to learning, which requires students to develop leadership and career-building skills before graduation.
As vital Tuskegee stakeholders, Nixon urges fellow alumni to raise the bar in their giving.
“We know first-hand the transformational power of a Tuskegee education, and we must ensure that Tuskegee is properly funded to continue preparing young people to compete and win in the global economy. Tuskegee University is a living legacy that we all must be stewards of well into the future. Our alumni network is second to none when it comes to loving this institution.”
Dr. Mark A. Brown, president and CEO, agrees that one of the most effective expression of support for alumni to consider is a financial one.
“Trustee Nixon’s ongoing philanthropic leadership is a shining example of both personal commitment and the multiplying impact of influence,” said Dr. Brown. “Just as Booker T. Washington’s vision for Mother Tuskegee reflected, Tuskegee’s Renaissance Era is rooted in the idea that both the self-determination of individuals and the collective power of community work together to equip every student to own his or her future and to be change-makers in the world. We are grateful to Trustee Nixon for honoring this legacy so boldly.”
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