FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 23, 2023
Contact: Eddie Francis, efrancis@dillard.edu
504.816.4024
NEW ORLEANS—Dillard University will provide a graduate from St. Augustine High School’s class of 2023 with a full tuition and fees scholarship thanks to a gift from Board of Trustees member Leith Hill. The selected scholar will receive support for four years, starting in the 2023-2024 academic year as long as he continues to meet the established criteria.
“In the short time that I have been at Dillard, I have met a few St. Augustine alumni and proud supporters who have earned their degrees at Dillard. Two of Dillard’s trustees–Rock Anderson and Ronnie Burns are both proud Purple Knights and Bleu Devils,” said Dr. Rochelle L. Ford, president of Dillard. “There are other St. Augustine alumni who have come through Dillard such as artist and former professional basketball player, Alfredo Ott, Emmy award-winning cinematographer D.J. McConduit, and former Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity general president, Mark Tillman. So, I see this agreement as the next level of St. Augustine and Dillard continuing to write a legacy of ethical leadership.” Ford pointed out that Michael Griffin, another Dillard trustee, is the father of a 2021 graduate of St. Augustine.
Anderson, who also serves on St. Augustine’s board, said that both institutions provided him with the foundation to excel throughout his career. “Being a graduate (1979 and 1984) of both institutions prepared me for business leadership opportunities, while learning the significance of community involvement,” he said. “This will be a phenomenal academic partnership! The potential is limitless when two exceptional, internationally recognized academic brands and experienced institutions form an alliance to ensure local Black males enter and graduate from college; and grow and develop to think, lead and utilize their influence globally.”
To date, 15 percent of St. Augustine’s class of 2023 has been accepted to Dillard University with early action from the University’s admissions process. “We expect several applicants who have already been admitted as a Bleu Devil to apply for this generous scholarship,” said Aulston Taylor, president and CEO of St. Augustine.
St. Augustine partnered with the Preservation Resource Center in September of 2022 to hold a welcome reception for Ford which included a Q&A. On Friday, January 27, the color guard of the famed St. Augustine “Marching 100” will do the presentation of the colors at Ford’s investiture ceremony at 12 p.m. in Lawless Memorial Chapel.
Founded in 1951, St. Augustine is a college preparatory that serves Black-identifying young men, grades 8-12. The school is only one mile from Dillard’s campus.
About Dillard University
Dillard University is a historically Black institution that cultivates leaders who live ethically, think and communicate precisely, and act courageously to make the world a better place. Located in New Orleans, Dillard is a private faith-based liberal arts university that offers 22 majors and two certificate programs. Ranked 5th on 2021 The New York Times Overall Mobility Index and 14th in 2022 by Academic Influence for Best Colleges and Universities by Academic Stewardship, Dillard’s call to future leaders is to Write Your Legacy. Find out more about Louisiana’s oldest HBCU by visiting www.dillard.edu.
