Bishop Eddie Long, the well-known pastor of the Lithonia megachurch New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, is giving $1 million to his alma mater.

North Carolina Central University in Durham, N.C., will use the money to establish a professorship named in Long's honor. Long is a 1977 graduate of the university's school of business.

"One of the reasons why I love the school so much is, at the time, I wasn't qualified to go into college if you look at grades or SAT tests," Long said.

They took him in as part of a program to bring in underperforming students and give them a chance at a university education.

"I started doing very well in college, and I am eternally grateful because they took a risk with me," Long said.

The school confirmed the gift.

"We are very grateful for Bishop Long's continued support and commitment to NCCU," said Chancellor Charlie Nelms in a press release.

"It is our hope that his gift will positively enrich the lives of our students and the wider community."

After graduating with a business degree, Long worked for Ford, and then Honeywell hired him and brought him to Atlanta. Long, the son of a Baptist minister, began going to the Interdenominational Theological Center here.

"And the rest is history," he said.

Long was named 21 years ago as pastor of the 300-member church that would become New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. It has expanded beyond its Lithonia home and has satellite churches in cities. The 240-acre Lithonia campus is like a small town, the church claims 25,000 members and promotes a myriad of ministries such as the annual Hosea Feed the Hungry, and help for the homeless and addicted.

Last year, Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, launched an inquiry into six televangelists' ministries, including Long's and that of the Rev. Creflo Dollar, also of metro Atlanta. Grassley wants to know about the business practices of the ministries and whether the ministers are profiting personally from running the tax-exempt empires they control.

Reports of the ministers traveling in private jets, receiving expensive gifts of exotic cars and cash honorariums as guest speakers and living extravagant lifestyles attracted his attention, Grassley said.

Grassley requested financial and business records from the ministers. Long has supplied limited information and his attorney is in talks with Grassley's staff, according to the senator's office.

Dollar has refused to cooperate, citing constitutional protections and claiming Grassley has no authority to look into church finances.

Long said he was not worried that his million-dollar gift would bring Grassley's magnifying glass back to him.

"I am not doing anything wrong and I'm helping my school" Long said. "I am making (the donation) from my own personal income."

He said he dabbles in real estate and also receives income from writing books.