Basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson pledge of $500,000 to Louisiana’s Xavier University helped the school raise more than $2 million at its Centennial Gala on May 9.
Johnson’s donation at the university’s 100th-anniversary celebration was made in honor of President Emeritus Dr. Norman C. Francis.
The money raised at the event will support student scholarships.
“The mark of a great man and who shows up,” Johnson said at the Gala. “Because the man that you are, all the great things that you’ve done in your stellar career. And all the people that you helped. You became successful through your great leadership at Xavier… In your honor, I’m going to give Xavier $500,000.”
Comedian Bill Bellamy (Any Given Sunday, former MTV VJ) hosted the ceremony. Jeffrey Osborne, the R&B legend and former L.T.D. lead singer, performed.
Francis, a graduate of Xavier University, was president of the school for 47 years, nearly half of its existence. He was responsible for sending many Black students to medical school. Under his leadership, student enrollment tripled.
“Our Centennial Gala was a beautiful success,” said Phillip D. Adams, Xavier’s vice president of institutional advancement. “Not just that it honored Xavier’s storied legacy, but that we raised more than $2 million to secure the futures of deserving students who choose a Xavier education. In just 100 years, Xavier has amassed various accolades, solidifying itself as a leader. I’m honored that we have been able to steadily raise necessary scholarship funds, and I look forward to what we can achieve in our next 100 years of excellence.”
The country’s only historically Black and Catholic University, Xavier is ranked among the top HBCUs nationwide and recognized as a national leader in STEM and health sciences.
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