A generous stranger paid off the remaining college tuition fees for an entire year of students at a Texas college.
It’s a remarkable gesture which is made even more special by the fact that the donor clearly doesn’t want any recognition for their actions, which have no doubt changed the lives of the student beneficiaries for the better.
Check out this video of the moment that the announcement was made during the students' graduation ceremony.
The Class of ’22 at Wiley College – a college in East Texas that has historically had predominantly black students - were seated in their robes and mortar boards when College President Herman Felton told them that their debt was cleared.
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“You are debt free,” he said. “You do not owe the college a penny.
“If you have a balance, you had a balance – you no longer have a balance.”
Felton’s words sparked rapturous applause and cheering from the assembled students and family.
Still, no-one actually knows who is responsible for this incredible show of generosity.
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In recent years, Wiley College has reduced tuition fees, but because of the Covid-19 pandemic and some personal matters, some of the students would still have had outstanding tuition balances left over that would have had to be paid.
Now, the students and their parents can leave the higher education facility without anything weighing on their minds, which is a big deal in these uncertain times.
Nobody needs the extra financial pressure of unpaid tuition hanging over them, do they?
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In total, the estimated balances of the Wiley College Class of 2022 was around $300,000 (£242,985).
In a news release after the fact, Felton said: “Our commitment to our students goes beyond their time while they are enrolled.
“We are constantly communicating with donors to assist students in these ways so that they can begin their after-college experience with less debt.
“We are grateful for this anonymous donor who will assist the students in paying off their balances to Wiley College and help us achieve institutional goals of graduating our students with little to no debt.”
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No doubt the students are beyond grateful too.
Wiley College is an historical institution that is known for having played a role in the Civil Rights Movement in Texas.
Students from Wiley were amongst the first to stage sit-ins at the Old Harrison County Courthouse in order to protest segregation between white and black people in public buildings.
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The 2007 movie The Great Debaters – directed by and starring Denzel Washington – told the story of a successful debating team from 1935 that defeated the reigning national champions.
Washington donated $1,000,000 to restart the team in 2007.
Tom Wood