Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Arkansas, Transitions to University Status
Founded in 1877, Philander Smith College was the first attempt west of the Mississippi River to make education available to freedmen (former African American slaves). Philander Smith College was chartered as a four-year college on March 3, 1883. The first baccalaureate degree was conferred in 1888.
Delaware State University to Host the Joint Center for HBCU Non-Traditional Completion
The center will take lessons learned from a three-year pilot program serving near completers and adult learners, and support other HBCUs in their efforts to recruit and support adult learners who have some college but who have not earned their degrees.
Historically Black Jarvis Christian University Partners With Tyler Junior College
Historically Black Jarvis Christian University in Hawkins, Texas, has entered into an agreement with Tyler Junior College that will allow for seamless transition into bachelor's degree programs at the university for Tyler Junior College graduates. Tyler Junior College enrolls just under 12,000 students. Blacks make up 16 percent of the student body.
Simmons College of Kentucky Joins the University of Louisville in Health Equity Project
Historically Black Simmons College of Kentucky and the University of Louisville are embarking on a new project to determine what characteristics of a neighborhood contribute to the health of its residents. In Louisville’s predominantly Black communities, life expectancy is as much as 12.6 years less than in the most affluent, predominantly White communities.
There Will Now Be a HBCU Marching Band National Championship Competition
HBCU marching bands from Division I and Division II will compete throughout the season to earn the right to showcase their talent in Atlanta and vie for the coveted title, 'Band of the Year.'
Xavier University of Louisiana Acquires the Archives of Bishop Fernard Cheri III
The Archives and Special Collections unit at the library of historically Black Xavier University in New Orleans has announced that it has been selected to house the archival collection of one of the university's distinguished graduates, Bishop Fernand Cheri, III. Bishop Cheri died earlier this year at the age of 71.
Ida B. Wells Society at Morehouse College Gets a New Leader
The Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting at Morehouse College in Atlanta announced the appointment of Robbie Morganfield as its new executive director....
Grambling State University to Receive Major Funding for Campus Renovations
The state of Louisiana’s construction budget sets aside $5.6 million in high-priority funding and another $64 million in the future for the university to build a new computer science building, renovate an old structure into a new criminal justice building, overhaul the campus’s utility systems, and re-roof many buildings.
Morgan State University Aims to Help Food Entrepreneurs in Baltimore
Morgan State University, in partnership with the City of Baltimore, has announced the creation of Open Access Baltimore, a free one-stop-shop online portal for student and community food entrepreneurs to find and utilize local resources for capital, permitting and licensing, and training that will help them plan, launch, and grow their businesses.
Six HBCUs Receive Funding for Historic Preservation of Campus Buildings
Six historically Black colleges and universities are receiving grants from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund of the National Trust for Historial Preservation to preserve historic buildings on campus.
Tennessee State University Adds a New Master’s Degree Program in Agribusiness
The College of Agriculture at historically Black Tennessee State University has announced the establishment of a new master's degree program in agribusiness and leadership degree program. The new program, which will enroll its first students this fall will be offered both in person and online, with and without a thesis option.
Morgan State University Opposes New Ph.D. Program at Nearby Towson University
Two years ago, the state approved a $577 million settlement to enhance the state's four HBCUs. The money is being used, in part, to expand academic programs and course offerings. Duplicate programs at predominately White institutions do harm to the efforts of HBCUs to attract a diverse group of students to their campuses, according to opponents of the new program at Towson.
HBCUs Team Up With the U.S. Forest Service to Increase Diversity of Firefighters
Florida A&M University, Southern University in Louisiana, Tuskegee University in Alabama, and Alabama A&M University have joined together with the U.S. Forest Service to create the 1890 Land Grant Institution Wildland Fire Consortium.
Alabama A&M Teams Up With a Community College to Boost Social Work Education
The presidents of historically Black Alabama A&M University and Calhoun Community College signed an agreement establishing a partnership between the two educational institutions to create a seamless transition to AAMU for Calhoun students with an interest in social work career paths.
Southern University to Begin a Registered Apprenticeship Teachers Program
In an effort to recruit, train, and retain qualified educators in Louisiana, the Louisiana Workforce Commission has partnered with Southern University and A&M College for its first Registered Apprenticeship Teachers program. Registered Apprenticeship has programs operating in seven other states. Southern University is the first HBCU to be involved in the effort.
Attorneys Representing Florida A&M Students Revise Lawsuit That Alleges Racial Discrimination
In September 2022, six students at historically Black Florida A&M University in Tallahassee filed a federal class-action lawsuit claiming that the university was a victim of racial discrimination by the state. In June, a federal judge said that attorneys would have to provide more evidence to show that alleged discrimination could be traced to segregation in order for the litigation to proceed. A revised suit has now been filed.
Paine College Secures Partners to Help “Preserve, Transform, and Elevate the Institution”
Historically Black Paine College in Augusta, Georgia has announced a historic partnership with education company EAB, the United Negro College Fund, Bank of America, the Augusta National Golf Club, and the Community Foundation for the Central Savannah River Area.
Halifax Community College Cybersecurity Students Can Transfer to North Carolina Central University
The School of Business at historically Black North Carolina Central University and Halifax Community College have entered into a new partnership aimed to enhance...
Tennessee State University Will Be the First HBCU to Have an Ice Hockey Team
TSU Hockey will commence its inaugural season in 2024, signaling a new era for the university. The team will begin as a club-level program but aspires to achieve NCAA Division I status for both men’s and women’s sides in the near future.
Shaw University Wins Approval to Rezone Its Campus for Redevelopment
Earlier, this year, historically Black Shaw University petitioned the Raleigh City Council to rezone 27 acres of its downtown campus, requesting that its property be redesignated as a “Mixed Business District.” Despite strong opposition from some alumni, the Raleigh City Council has approved the plan.
Nine HBCUs Become Limited Partners in a $10 Million Venture Capital Fund
The Historic Fund is a unique philanthropic initiative that invites selected HBCUs to be limited partners without investing their own assets. The goal of the initiative is not only to bolster the endowments of HBCUs, but also to foster connectivity between these institutions and the broader venture capital community.
Fort Valley State University to Offer a Master of Social Work Degree Program
The new program offers face-to-face and fully synchronous online paths to the degree. The new program requires a total of 45 credit hours. This will allow the enrolled students to graduate within two years. The degree has two concentrations: mental health and alcohol and drug addiction counseling.
School of Dentistry at Meharry Medical College to Open New Center on Dental and...
The center, located within the School of Dentistry’s main building, will allow Meharry to introduce the latest in dental and digital technology including innovative products to its dental school. Meharry will expand its educational areas to replicate real-life dental practices with five new examination rooms.
Grambling State University to Debut Its New Ph.D. Program in Criminology and Justice Administration
The program focuses on the scientific study of crime and criminal behavior while examining the structure of the criminal justice system, its procedures and processes, and how they can work to provide a fair system for all. It will have two areas of concentration: Minorities and Social Injustice Policy, and Justice Policy and Administration.
Spelman College Students Participating in Four-Week Study Abroad Program in Japan
With financial aid from the U.S. State Department, 26 students and two faculty members from historically Black Spelman College in Atlanta are spending four weeks in Japan participating in a study abroad program at Josai International University to study Japanese language, history, and culture.
Six Alabama Community Colleges Become Members of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund
The decision reflects the Thurgood Marshall College Fund's belief that its diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts should recognize alternative pathways to degree attainment and skill development. In the past, TMCF represented only four-year, state-operated educational institutions.
Judge Rules That a Class-Action Lawsuit Filed by Florida A&M University Students May Proceed
In September 2022, six students at historically Black Florida A&M University in Tallahassee filed a federal class-action lawsuit against the state of Florida. The suit claims that the historically Black university receives far less in state funding per student than the University of Florida. A federal judge recently ruled that the litigation can move forward.
Simmons College of Kentucky to Offer Classes at the State’s Sole Female-Only Prison
Inmates who have at least 12 months left to serve or to become eligible for parole may apply to take courses through Simmons College. Those accepted into the program will have the opportunity to pursue an associate degree in general studies or religious studies or a bachelor’s degree in sociology or business entrepreneurship.
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Is Adding Its First Engineering Degree Program
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff has announced that it will be offering its first engineering degree program this coming fall. The university will be just the 16th HBCUs to offer an engineering degree program.
Four HBCUs Targeted by Bomb Threats Receive Funds for Mental Health Services
The funds are part of the Project School Emergency Response to Violence program. Project SERV funds short-term education-related services for local educational agencies and institutions of higher education to help them recover from a violent or traumatic event in which the learning environment has been disrupted.
Two HBCUs Team Up to Create Better Pathways to Bachelor’s Degrees
Miles College, a four-year HBCU in Fairfield, Alabama, is teaming up with Drake State Community & Technical College, a two-year HBCU in Huntsville, Alabama, to create easier pathways for students to earn a bachelor’s degree.
UNCF to Further Enhance Its Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
The United Negro College Fund's Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s objectives are to build, grow, support, and nurture partner ventures through a multi-prong approach of education, development, mentoring, and financial support through scholarships, grants, and business funding for innovators and entrepreneurs.
Dillard University to Offer its First Master’s Degree Program This Fall
The new nursing program will be the first master’s degree in Dillard University’s 153-year history. The master's degree program is a 12-course, 36-39 credit hour hybrid degree program designed to be completed in four consecutive semesters for full-time students and six semesters for part-time students.
Talladega College Partners With Grand Valley State University in Michigan
Under the agreement, students who graduate from Talladega College with a degree in education will have a pathway to earn master’s degrees in education, school counseling, instructional technology, and instruction and curriculum at Grand Valley State University.
Teenager Is the Youngest Graduate in the History of Langston University in Oklahoma
In 2022, 14-year-old Shania Muhammad earned associate's degrees from Langston University in Oklahoma and Oklahoma City Community College. This year, the teenager became the youngest person to earn a bachelor's degree at Langston University.
Prairie View A&M to Establish a School of Public and Allied Health
Angela Branch-Vital has been named executive director of the new school. She is the head of the health and kinesiology department. She holds a bachelor's degree in human science and a master's degree in counseling from Prairie View A&M University. She earned a Ph.D. in epidemiology and biostatistics from the University of Texas School of Public Health.
