HBCU ORIGINAL
Florida A&M Receives Record $237 Million Gift During Commencement
Florida A&M University has received a $237.75 million gift from the Issac Batterson 7th Family Trust and Gregory Gerami, the founder and CEO of Batterson Farms Corp, a Texas-based industrial hemp business.
The gift, the largest in Florida A&M’s 136-year history, was presented to FAMU President Larry Robinson at one of the university’s commencement ceremonies on May 4. You can watch the moment the gift was made here.
FAMU said it will use the gift to support various academic initiatives, student success programs and its athletics program. It is almost double the size of the university’s current endowment of $121 million.
With an enrollment of about 10,000 students, Florida A&M, located in Tallahassee, Florida, is one of the nation’s leading Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The new gift would appear to also be the largest donation ever made to an HBCU, eclipsing the prior record established in January when Spelman College announced receiving a $100 million gift.
“This gift is breathtaking in its generosity and its scope,” said Robinson in a news release. “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.”
According to the university, Gerami reached out to FAMU officials last fall to discuss the possibility of making a sizable donation. Gerami believed that FAMU’s mission and research capabilities, especially in the area of hemp production, were strongly aligned with his own company’s emphasis and direction.
“FAMU has become like a family to our Trust, our company and to me. Our morals and our mission are in line with FAMU and FAMU’s mission,” said Gerami, in the press release. He emphasized his commitment to the university’s sustainability and growth. “It’s also about making sure that we set FAMU on the path to being the top HBCU in this country.”
Gregory Gerami achieved his business success despite a childhood of adversity, including being born with opiate addiction. After starting a small lawn care business, he eventually branched out and founded the Batterson Farms Corp, a hydroponic farming and hemp plastic company, in 2021.
In recognition of Gerami’s history of physical and health challenges, which are detailed in a biography on the Batterson Farms website, Florida A&M will use a portion of his gift to enhance its Center for Disability Access and Resources, which serves about 700 students. Center director Deborah Sullivan said the donation would increase the center’s ability to offer more programs and services on campus.
“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.
As expected, some individuals in the public are and will continue researching Mr. Gerami. Please know that FAMU has done its due diligence when it comes to this matter. Additionally, Mr. Gerami has and continues to do his own due diligence on things that have been and are happening at FAMU.
While a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) we signed prevents us from disclosing many details, as was reported on May 4 – Mr. Gerami transferred $237,750,000 worth of stocks into our account last month. Mr. Gerami’s $237,750,000 stock transfer was received in the same manner in which we have accepted all other stocks donated to the University through the FAMU Foundation Inc. As with any non-cash gift received, such as cryptocurrency, real estate, and stocks, it will be converted to cash and recorded appropriately.
Gerami is quoted in the May 7 Tallahassee Democrat as saying, “The stocks have been held by the university for over a month now, so I don’t know where the confusion or the skepticism would be since it’s already in a financial account with the university.”
But the doubts still linger even within the FAMU community. On May 7, in a highly unusual move, Deveron Gibbons, the vice chair of FAMU’s Board of Trustees, called for a public “emergency meeting” of the board so it could give more scrutiny to the gift, according to the Tallahassee Democrat. “A donation of this nature requires the highest degree of transparency and inquiry, and to this point that has not occurred,” Gibbons is reported to have said in a statement.
FORBES MAGAZINE
The SWAC delivered one of the biggest championship storylines of the season as Jackson State and Florida A&M claimed the 2026 outdoor track & field titles.
Jackson State shocked the conference by capturing the men’s championship, powered by explosive sprint performances and clutch relay execution. The Tigers built momentum throughout the meet and held off late pushes to secure a historic breakthrough title.
On the women’s side, Florida A&M continued its championship tradition, controlling the meet with consistent scoring across sprints, hurdles, and field events. The Rattlers’ depth once again proved decisive as they stayed ahead of a competitive field to claim another SWAC crown.
Two different stories — one breakthrough, one dynasty — defined the SWAC season.
The SIAC championships belonged to Morehouse and Tuskegee as both programs delivered complete team performances to claim the 2026 outdoor track & field titles.
On the men’s side, Morehouse controlled the meet from start to finish, scoring consistently across sprints, distance, and field events to build separation early. The Maroon Tigers maintained their advantage through the final events, sealing another conference championship built on depth and execution.
On the women’s side, Tuskegee continued its dominance with a back-to-back SIAC championship performance. The Golden Tigers delivered strong scoring across sprints, relays, and field events, holding off the field once again to repeat as conference champions.
Together, Morehouse and Tuskegee set the standard in SIAC track & field heading into postseason competition.
The HBCUAC championship meet marked a new era as Voorhees and Dillard claimed the 2026 outdoor track & field titles in defining early conference performances.
Voorhees secured the men’s championship through consistent scoring across sprints, middle distance, and field events, proving to be the most complete team in a tightly contested meet.
Dillard followed on the women’s side with a strong all-around effort, highlighted by relay execution and key individual performances that helped them control the championship race from start to finish.
The HBCUAC now begins its competitive identity with two early benchmark programs setting the standard.
HBCU ORIGINAL
OVC Outdoor Track & Field — Eastern Illinois & Southeast Missouri Take Control, Tennessee State Battles in the Mix
The Ohio Valley Conference delivered a high-level championship meet in Little Rock as Eastern Illinois and Southeast Missouri claimed the 2026 outdoor track & field titles, while Tennessee State fought to stay inside the top tier.
Eastern Illinois captured the men’s championship with a powerful overall team performance, using depth across sprints, distance, and field events to hold off a competitive field. Southeast Missouri stayed right behind the pace, finishing runner-up behind a balanced scoring attack that kept pressure on throughout the meet.
On the women’s side, Southeast Missouri dominated the field to secure the OVC crown, led by consistent scoring across multiple event groups and a strong closing push in the final sessions. Eastern Illinois again finished near the top, locking in runner-up status and showing its program-wide strength on both sides of competition.
Tennessee State was the key HBCU presence in the conference, finishing in the middle of the standings on both the men’s and women’s side. The Tigers showed flashes in sprints, hurdles, and relays, but lacked the depth needed to break into the championship tier against the OVC’s top programs.
The meet reinforced Southeast Missouri’s growing conference dominance while Eastern Illinois remains a consistent championship contender on both sides.
The MEAC once again ran through two familiar powers as Norfolk State and Howard claimed the 2026 outdoor track & field championships in dominant fashion.
On the men’s side, Norfolk State continued its conference dynasty, securing its fifth straight MEAC outdoor title. The Spartans delivered across sprints, hurdles, and relays, using depth and execution in the final events to separate from the field and close out another championship run.
On the women’s side, Howard extended its own reign of dominance, stacking points across distance races, field events, and relays to secure another MEAC crown. The Bison’s balance and consistency across all disciplines once again proved too much for the rest of the conference.
MEAC dominance remains firmly in the hands of Norfolk State and Howard heading into postseason competition.
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