Children Of Alabama State Alumni Launch Scholarship For HBCU To Honor Parents

Courtesy of Alabama State University

The children of two Alabama State University alumni have launched a scholarship for the HBCU in honor of their parents.

The late Warren L. Davis, III, and his wife, Dr. Tyna D. Davis, have been longtime supporters of the HBCU that educated them. Now, their legacy will live on at the institution through an endowment scholarship established in their name.

Dr. Wartyna Davis and her brother, Dr. Warren L. Davis, IV, decided to honor their parents at their alma mater after their father’s 2024 death.

“We know that Alabama State is a gem in the state of Alabama and has produced some of the most incredible graduates and alums. We wanted to find a way to honor our parents that is consistent with their lives and invest in the future of ASU students. That’s what their whole career was about—investing in young people,” said Dr. Wartyna Davis in a press release. “ASU graduates are transforming lives across the country. So, it’s important that we keep investing in the institution.”

Just like the Davises, scholarship recipients must major in math or science while demonstrating financial need and academic merit. The scholarship will prioritize applicants with the most financial need.

‘When Dad passed, it all crystallized at that moment as if to say instead of flowers, as a community, let’s all invest in something that will keep moving and keep giving as we move forward,” added Wartyna Davis.

Added Davis IV: “Our parents valued education. We were blessed to have intellectually curious parents who instilled that curiosity in us. Our parents majored in math and science, and we thought supporting students in these majors might help them reach their personal goals.”

His father obtained his bachelor’s in mathematics at ASU, while his mother majored in science. Tyna Davis was as part of the inaugural graduating class for ASU’s doctoral degree program in educational leadership policy and law. Her husband later became a dedicated educator himself, serving as a principal for various schools during his later years.

Of her children’s historic gift, Tyna Davis noted that her children remembered to give back so future generations could receive an education. Before retiring in 2013, she became an instrumental figure in education policy in Alabama.

“The university does a great job preparing its students for careers, and it is so important that we give back, when possible, so other people can have the same opportunities we had,” she said

The scholarship has raised around $20,000 of its $25,000 goal.