Billionaire Pledges to<br />Eliminate Student Loan Debt of<br />Morehouse College Graduates Robert F. Smith attended Morehouse College’s<br />2019 commencement ceremony to receive<br />an honorary doctorate from the school. Smith is the founder and CEO of<br />Vista Equity Partners and is worth an<br />estimated $5 billion, according to 'Forbes.' During his speech, Smith announced he would<br />provide a grant to the nearly 400 graduating students,<br />covering the entirety of their college debt. Robert F. Smith,<br />via ‘MSN’ The announcement was a surprise<br />to both Smith’s staff as well as the<br />Morehouse College faculty and students. A spokesperson for Morehouse said Smith’s<br />contribution is the biggest single gift <br />in the college’s history. The student debt will cost an estimated<br />$40 million on top of the $1.5 million gift<br />Smith previously pledged to the university.
