Robert F. Smith is the only male African American billionaire in the USA and heads Vista Equity Partners, one of the investment houses.

He got his start at the Cornell University’s School Of Engineering, receiveing a degree in chemical engineering in 1985, and has decided to commit $50 million to his alma mater.

For that $50 million the school is being renamed “Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Cornell” and the Robert Frederick Smith Tech Scholars Program is being created.

The program aims to help minority and female students.

Lance Collins, the Joseph Silbert Dean of Cornell Engineering, was quoted:

“Robert’s generosity will not only elevate our School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, but it will ensure it becomes more accessible than ever,”

“I believe an affordable educational path from engineering in Ithaca to Cornell Tech in New York City, for those who wouldn’t otherwise be offered such an opportunity, will produce some of the sharpest minds in engineering and technology. I’m thankful Robert shares this vision and is making it a reality.”

Talking of his commitment Smith said:

“I have had the privilege of being a Cornell graduate with a degree in engineering,”

And

“I credit much to my career success to being an engineer by training. Engineers solve problems and fix things. Along my career, I have become increasingly concerned by the lack of diversity across the engineering and tech disciplines. My direct intention here is to work directly with Cornell Tech and Cornell Engineering, in New York City and in Ithaca, to create direct on-ramps for African-Americans and young women to enter tech so that they can help lead us into the fourth industrial revolution.”