Benedict College’s supporters shouldn’t withdraw support because of Trump’s visit

After my father died three years ago, I decided to honor my family’s legacy in a tangible way. I chose to endow a Benedict College scholarship named for three Benedict alums: my parents, Harold and Pleasant Jones Lewis, and my maternal grandfather, George Louis Jones.

Like many Benedict supporters and alums, I found it repugnant when President Donald Trump recently made a visit to the school’s campus.

I believe that Trump is the most racist, misogynistic and corrupt president in modern American history.

I believe that Trump’s visit to Benedict was antithetical to the college’s mission, as well as to every moral value espoused by my family.

And I believe that while Trump has the status of a sitting head of state, that still gave little legitimacy to having him on the campus of Benedict College — a historically important school founded to countermand the vileness of slavery.

In the aftermath of Trump’s visit, I have spoken with many family members and acquaintances who are aware of my history of supporting Benedict; the overriding sentiment among them has been that I should cease providing any more support to the college. It is, however, a suggestion that I will continue to reject.

I think that we can agree that we all want the best for Benedict College, its 2,000-plus students and its dedicated faculty, staff and administrators. And that’s why in the weeks since Trump’s visit, I have tried my best to understand why and how it took place.

I have done everything from speaking with members of the school’s Board of Trustees to listening and reading the interviews that Benedict College President Roslyn Clark Artis has conducted to explain Trump’s visit.

Artis has noted that Benedict College receives 60% of its revenue from federal sources; because of that fact, Artis said, she wasn’t in a position to say “no” to the White House. And here’s the unfortunate truth: the financial numbers for Benedict and other historically black colleges and universities are rather grim.

For example, historically black colleges and universities receive 54% of their total revenues from government sources; meanwhile, non-historically black colleges and universities receive 38% of their total revenues from government sources.

In addition, private historically black colleges and universities receive only 17% of their revenue from private donors; meanwhile, private non-historically black colleges and universities receive 25% of their revenue from private donors.

These are facts, and they are why I am making this humble plea to all who cherish Benedict College:

Now is not the time to give less to Benedict — now is the time to give more to the school.

It is only by growing Benedict’s endowment that we can help the college avoid making another Hobson’s choice like the one that led to Trump recently visiting the campus.

Kapauner Lewis is an anesthesiologist in Louisville, Ky., and a longtime supporter of Benedict College.

This story was originally published November 22, 2019 at 11:16 AM.