Frank and Patricia Kabela have committed $1 million to Savannah State University (SSU) and pledged an additional $50,000 each year to provide student scholarships, as part of the university’s Campaign for Transformation and Growth. The Kabela Family Endowment was announced during a halftime check presentation at SSU’s homecoming football game Oct. 26.

“The generosity and commitment by the Kabela family in support of Savannah State University students cannot be overstated,” Kimberly Ballard-Washington, SSU’s interim president, said. “Their benefaction and vision, so graciously demonstrated by establishing this sustaining gift, will help generations of our students to fulfill their dreams of earning a college degree.”

Frank and Patricia Kabela both attended New Jersey’s Rutgers University. Frank Kabela began his career as a daily newspaper reporter. He worked in major market radio, advertising and cable TV before retiring as chairman/CEO of Greater Media, Inc.

“It isn’t often that a gift made in support of an institution produces immediate results – in this case in the form of bright young men and women who will be able to continue on their path to a college degree,” Mr. Kabela said. “This opportunity plus the enthusiasm we encountered among the SSU students, faculty, staff and alumni convinced us that SSU was worthy of substantial investment. I hope others in the always-generous Savannah community will consider SSU in their philanthropic planning.”

The Kabela Family Endowment funds were established to keep as many students enrolled in college as possible. SSU students must be in good academic standing to be considered for the scholarship.

“There are many students in similar circumstances to mine, and they would be unable to pursue their education without this scholarship,” said Deja Thomas, a senior Mass Communications major from Villa Rica, Ga., and Kabela scholarship recipient.