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FAMU Receives $237M Gift from the Issac Batterson 7th Family Trust and CEO Gregory Gerami
MAY 4TH, 2024 ANDREW SKERRITTNEWS
Florida A&M University (FAMU) received a $237.75 million gift from the Issac Batterson 7th Family Trust and Chief Executive Officer Gregory Gerami to support student success initiatives and athletics.
The donation is nearly double the size of the FAMU Endowment value – $121 million – and represents one of the largest single personal donations to a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). It also reflects Gerami’s desire to make a transformational contribution that will benefit FAMU students and student-athletes for generations to come.
“This gift is breathtaking in its generosity and its scope. It changes the narrative about what is possible for FAMU. I cannot thank Gregory Gerami and the Issac Batterson 7th Family Trust enough. Their names are now etched into the annals of Florida A&M University in perpetuity,” said FAMU President Larry Robinson, Ph.D. “This donation will have a far-reaching impact on our academic and athletics programs. It will greatly enhance our ability to provide scholarships for students and also give us a boost in recruiting top students, and recruiting and retaining top faculty.”
Gerami is the founder of Batterson Farms Corp and a champion of sustainable agriculture and biodegradable hemp products in Texas. He overcame early adversity to become a prominent figure in the industrial hemp business and a pioneer in producing and selling high-quality hemp seeds.
Gerami’s vision for the future of farming led to plans for the largest African American commercial hydroponic warehouse in West Texas. With a focus on cultivating industrial hemp for various applications, including pediatric cancer therapeutics research, his commitment to sustainable agriculture and community welfare is evident.
Access & Resources (CeDAR), which serves about 700 students. Director Deborah Sullivan gets emotional responding to the news.
“The impact is just tremendous because we are not a department that often gets gifts like this. Alumni tend to give to their school or to athletics, but the Office of Disability Services doesn’t necessarily get recognized with monetary gifts like this and, especially, this magnitude,” said Sullivan, who explained that the donation enhances CeDar’s ability to implement more programs and services to all students, staff and faculty.
“The gift could be far reaching beyond what we do with students with disabilities. It can be impactful for every student on campus with some of the training, programming and services we’ll be able to offer.”
MAY 4TH, 2024 ANDREW SKERRITTNEWS
Florida A&M University (FAMU) received a $237.75 million gift from the Issac Batterson 7th Family Trust and Chief Executive Officer Gregory Gerami to support student success initiatives and athletics.
The donation is nearly double the size of the FAMU Endowment value – $121 million – and represents one of the largest single personal donations to a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). It also reflects Gerami’s desire to make a transformational contribution that will benefit FAMU students and student-athletes for generations to come.
“This gift is breathtaking in its generosity and its scope. It changes the narrative about what is possible for FAMU. I cannot thank Gregory Gerami and the Issac Batterson 7th Family Trust enough. Their names are now etched into the annals of Florida A&M University in perpetuity,” said FAMU President Larry Robinson, Ph.D. “This donation will have a far-reaching impact on our academic and athletics programs. It will greatly enhance our ability to provide scholarships for students and also give us a boost in recruiting top students, and recruiting and retaining top faculty.”
Gerami is the founder of Batterson Farms Corp and a champion of sustainable agriculture and biodegradable hemp products in Texas. He overcame early adversity to become a prominent figure in the industrial hemp business and a pioneer in producing and selling high-quality hemp seeds.
Gerami’s vision for the future of farming led to plans for the largest African American commercial hydroponic warehouse in West Texas. With a focus on cultivating industrial hemp for various applications, including pediatric cancer therapeutics research, his commitment to sustainable agriculture and community welfare is evident.
Access & Resources (CeDAR), which serves about 700 students. Director Deborah Sullivan gets emotional responding to the news.
“The impact is just tremendous because we are not a department that often gets gifts like this. Alumni tend to give to their school or to athletics, but the Office of Disability Services doesn’t necessarily get recognized with monetary gifts like this and, especially, this magnitude,” said Sullivan, who explained that the donation enhances CeDar’s ability to implement more programs and services to all students, staff and faculty.
“The gift could be far reaching beyond what we do with students with disabilities. It can be impactful for every student on campus with some of the training, programming and services we’ll be able to offer.”