Underlying Cheyney University’s 175-year history is Richard Humphreys, a Philadelphia Quaker. Due to his $10,000 bequest – one tenth of his estate – in 1837, and his charge to 13 fellow Quakers to design “an institution … (which would) have for its object the benevolent design of instructing the descendants of the African Race in school learning…” Cheyney University exists to this day. Furthermore, Humphreys initial bequest continues to support that institution which had originally been named “The Institute for Colored Youth.”
Each Founder’s Day members of the Richard Humphreys Distribution Committee recognizes the Humphreys scholars. Students honored this year included Whitney Davis, Adrese Hicks, Krystyna Lockley, Simeone Waters, Class of 2012; Kenneth Allen, Monica Effi, Dariana Vilorio, Erica Williams, Brittney Young; Class of 2013; Richard Coleman, Sha’Tique Martin, Danielle Milnes, Mikael Rahim-Nero, Christopher Stewart, Class of 2014; and Jasmyne Boggs, Nicholas Carter, Annemarie Gallagher, Class of 2015.