Savannah State University to Gift Hand Sanitizer to Every HBCU Nationwide
Made Possible by Generous Alumni Donation
Savannah State University (SSU) alumni Cyrus Jackson, (℅ ‘77) recently contributed an in-kind donation to his alma mater valued at over $1.5 million dollars. Designated for the College of Business Administration (COBA), the gift is being put to good use to help fight the spread of COVID-19. SSU Administration is taking the gift one step further by extending Jackson’s generosity to the entire Historically Black College or University (HBCU) community nationwide.
Each institution agreeing to receive this gift will be sent enough hand sanitizer for their entire student population. As the kick-off project of the recently announced Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, high-impact practices, such as this field-based experiential learning opportunity with industry and community partners, gives students hands-on experience with practical scenarios they are studying in the curriculum. Business students working on this project are learning how to create scalable project plans, develop distribution plans and create communication strategies for a nationwide initiative.
“Our Tigers have been working hard to protect their den by following all of the CDC guidelines
and campus protocol,” said Shalonda Mullgrav, DBA, interim dean of the College of Business
Administration. “With Mr. Jackson’s contribution, we can show the collective HBCU family how
much the SSU Tigers care for our community. We want our COBA students to graduate with the idea that giving something back to the community is an important outcome, and that doing so will prepare them to be good citizens in work and life.”
Jackson is a successful entrepreneur and owner of 1 Indigo Child, LLC, which produces Dr.
Hobbs Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer with Aloe. A long-time donor, Jackson believes in giving back. Jackson formed the Fred & Mattie Jackson Foundation at SSU, which provides over
$25,000 annually in need-based scholarships to help students complete their degrees.
“It will take a united effort for us to survive the crisis that is upon us,” said Jackson. “It makes
sense to gift this sanitizer to other HBCUs because we’re all in this together.”
To date, more than 200,000 bottles of Dr. Hobbs Sanitizer has been shipped to more than 60
HBCUs, with more shipments occurring daily.
About Savannah State University
Established in 1890, Savannah State University is the oldest public historically black college or
university in Georgia and the oldest institution of higher learning in the city of Savannah. The
university’s 3,488 students select majors from 30 undergraduate and six graduate programs in
four colleges — Business Administration, Education, Liberal Arts, and Social Sciences, and
Sciences and Technology.
