WASHINGTON – Howard University is pleased to announce a $500,000 gift from Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. to establish The Zeta Founders’ Endowed Scholarship Fund.   

“Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. commemorated its centennial by donating $500,000 to establish The Zeta Founders’ Endowed Scholarship Fund, honoring the five Howard University students who founded the sorority in 1920,” said 20^th International President and 2020 Centennial Chair Jylla Moore Tearte, Ph.D. “Sorority members, friends and family continue to invest in this fund to advance Howard University’s efforts to increase the representation of minorities studying science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), while honoring Zeta’s founders with this lasting footprint.”

Through the endowed scholarship, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. hopes to inspire and support students who pursue scholarship in STEM-related fields as exemplified by the late Marjay D. Anderson, Ph.D., a member of Zeta, who served as a scientist, educator and academician at Howard University. Anderson, who was chair of the Comprehensive Sciences Department in the College of Arts and Sciences for over 25 years, retired from Howard after more than 50 years.  Joining Anderson and Tearte as major charter donors were four Zeta members: Maxine C. Jones Bryant (B.A., ’72) and Mary Anne Tillman (B.S. ’56, M.D. ’60), along with friends of Howard University, Saniah M. Johnson and Karla D. Munden. 

Scholarships will be provided to undergraduate juniors and seniors at Howard University who meet the requirements of the Karsh STEM Scholars Program. Among other requirements, eligible students must be pursuing degrees in STEM-related fields with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. was founded at Howard University on January 16, 1920 in Miner Hall by Arizona Cleaver Stemons, Pearl Anna Neal, Myrtle Tyler Faithful, Viola Tyler Goings and Fannie Pettie Watts.

For more information about The Zeta Founders’ Endowed Scholarship Fund, click here.

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About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue more than 140 programs of study leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced one Schwarzman Scholar, three Marshall Scholars, four Rhodes Scholars, 11 Truman Scholars, 25 Pickering Fellows and more than 165 Fulbright recipients. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visit www.howard.edu.

Media Contact: Misha Cornelius, misha.cornelius@howard.edu