A prominent Black family that has funded scholarships for students at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington for nearly three decades is ending new scholarship awards. The Upperman family’s decision comes after refusing to revise scholarship language tied to African American students. The decision highlights a broader national debate over how universities are adapting donor-funded programs in response to changing policies on diversity, equity and inclusion.
According to WHQR, the Upperman family has decided to stop awarding new scholarships at UNCW. University officials said scholarship language referencing African American students would need to be revised to comply with the UNC System’s updated equality policy. Linda Upperman Smith, daughter of the late physician Dr. Leroy Upperman, said removing references connected to her father’s vision would contradict the purpose of the family’s philanthropy. “There’s no way that we’re going to not follow my father’s wishes for the money to go to an African American student, so we’re not changing the wording,” Upperman Smith told WHQR.
The Upperman family helped establish UNCW’s Upperman African American Cultural Center in the 1990s and has built a scholarship endowment now valued at roughly $1 million. The fund distributes approximately $40,000 annually and has supported generations of students interested in issues affecting African American communities.
University officials said the scholarship language conflicted with the UNC System’s equality policy, adopted in 2024. According to UNCW Vice Chancellor for Advancement Eddie Stuart, university attorneys determined that several scholarship agreements containing diversity-related language required revisions to comply with the updated policy.
Stuart said the issue centers on scholarship criteria that ask applicants to demonstrate a commitment to specific communities, arguing that evaluating those statements could conflict with restrictions on compelled speech under the policy. While the university remains in discussions with the family, Upperman Smith said the decision is final. The remaining students already receiving the scholarship will continue to receive funding until they graduate, but no new recipients will be selected.
Instead, the family plans to move the endowment to another institution, with Howard University emerging as the leading option. The historically Black university is also Dr. Upperman’s alma mater. “One thing about Black folks: we have always figured out a way to make things work,” Upperman Smith said.
Upperman Smith said the family’s decision reflects a broader effort to preserve the intent behind charitable giving aimed at expanding educational opportunities for Black students. “Our power,” she said, “is the power of the purse.”
