Thanks to the largest non-alum donation in university history, education and nursing students have another source for scholarship dollars. Clara Hooker Black donated more than $500,000 to North Carolina A&T State University to create the William Frank Hooker and Clara Hooker Black Scholarship Fund.

“This gift will sustain scholarships in both schools in perpetuity,” said Dr. William Harvey, dean of the School of Education. “This means students who may never have known her will benefit from her generosity.”

Black, 103, a native of Warrenton, N.C. is a graduate of the now Elizabeth City State University. She first attended what is now known as Fayetteville State University before transferring to ECSU. After graduation, she worked as a teacher and supervisor in Warren County. She would later move to New York City and marry the man she met while on her first summer vacation as a teacher, William Frank Hooker.

While it may seem as if Black has no ties to the university, two of her seven siblings along with a niece and nephew all earned their degrees from N.C. A&T. She gave $570,000 to the university in their honor.
“I am very proud that my family has been a part of this institution,” she said during a reception in her honor in November.

To show gratitude for Black’s commitment to the university, a conference room in the School of Education in Proctor Hall has been named the William Frank Hooker and Clara Hooker Black Executive Conference Room.

School of Nursing Dean Inez Tuck says Black’s gift is remarkable and is another way for her to establish her legacy of education and service.
“This will help us give scholarships to really bright students who we want to keep – who will make an impact in their careers and communities,” Tuck said.

To qualify for the scholarship, applicants must be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate with a 2.5 GPA and write an essay. Preference will be given to scholarship candidates from Pitt and Beauford counties.

The minimum award per student is $1,500 per academic year. The maximum is $2,000 per academic year. Eligible recipients may receive up to five annual scholarship awards. Students are limited to a maximum of $8,000 from this fund. Scholarship awardees will be selected by a six person committee made up of representatives from the schools of education and nursing, the Office of Financial Aid and three family members.