A $10 million donation to Howard University, its biggest in history, includes scholarship money for graduates of a charter network with schools in metro Atlanta.

Howard University in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday announced the $10 million donation from the Karsh Family Foundation.

A portion of the donation will go to support scholarships for students who graduate from KIPP charter high schools. The network has schools across the nation and in metro Atlanta, including KIPP Atlanta Collegiate, a high school in Atlanta.

Howard University plans to award the newly created Lomax KIPP Scholarships to two students each year. The scholarships will provide funding that allows students to graduate from college without debt by covering the difference between a recipient’s financial aid package and the cost of attendance. The first scholarship recipients will be chosen this spring and enter Howard in the fall.

A spokeswoman for the KIPP Foundation said that any KIPP student who applies to Howard has a chance to receive the scholarship, which is based on need.

The donation also provides for campus support for all KIPP alumni who attend Howard, of which there are currently 53.

The scholarships are named in recognition of Michael L. Lomax, CEO and president of United Negro College Fund.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Views of the exterior of Druid Hills High School in Atlanta shown on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025. In the plan approved by the DeKalb County school board on Monday, everything but the main building, pictured here, will be demolished in favor of a new school building. (Natrice Miller/ AJC)

Credit: Natrice Miller

Featured

Ceudy Gutierrez reads a book to her 2-year-old son, Matias, at their home in Buford, GA, on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. Ceudy Gutierrez is struggling to make ends meet for herself and her three young kids following her husband’s ICE arrest earlier this fall. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez