HBCUs

Led in partnership with the Association of College and University Educators, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund's CHANGE initiative aims to expand professional development opportunities for faculty and academic staff at HBCUs.

Through this new initiative, scholars will work to integrate AI and data analytics into the HBCU's curricula and expand AI literacy training for students, faculty, and staff.

Under a new five-year agreement with The Bahamas' Ministry of Education and Technical Vocational Training, Benedict College has created a scholarship pathway for Bahamian students to attend the HBCU and study fields aligned with The Bahamas' national priorities.

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

Some of the graduate and professional schools at historically Black colleges and universities were included in the U.S. News rankings, but in all cases, they were far down the list of the best schools and programs.

“HBCUs are incubators of diverse excellence and have proven their ability time and again to punch above their weight,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “Despite not always having every tool at their disposal, they continue to make massive contributions to the research and development community. This bipartisan bill will make securing federal dollars for their research efforts that much easier...”

In April 2025, a National Endowment for the Humanities grant awarded to North Carolina Central University was canceled by the Department of Government Efficiency with the assistance of ChatGPT. The chatbot claimed the project, which focused on the history of the HBCU, was related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“As the job market continues to grow rapidly in [cybersecurity], we want to ensure our students at Rust College, and all Mississippians, are equipped to contribute their talents and take advantage of good-paying jobs,” said Johnny M. Moore, President of Rust College

The new administrators are Dawn Nail at North Carolina A&T State University, Darryl Scriven at Florida A&M University, Letitia Williams at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Marci Middleton at Denmark Technical College in South Carolina, and Chandra Dorsey-Felton at Florida Memorial University.

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

Lincoln University of Pennsylvania has promoted Harry Stinson III, Mel Fenner, and Josh Dean to new roles in institutional advancement, digital innovation, and athletics, respectively.

Bowie State University, Claflin University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina A&T State University, and Virginia State University are participating in a new initiative from the Lumina Foundation to enhance student workforce outcomes and strengthen the value of the HBCUs' bachelor's degree programs.

Beginning this summer, Tuskegee nursing students will step directly into Baptist Health Systems hospitals as compensated employees of the system, offering students real-world experience and pay in addition to their academic and clinical training.

Beginning in June 2026, Winston-Salem State University will offer bachelor's degree programs in psychology, interdisciplinary studies, and business administration in a fully online format.

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

Effective July 1, there will be new annual and aggregate borrowing limits on federal loans used for graduate programs. According to a new analysis from the Century Foundation, these limits are far below the median cost of attending both public and private medical institutions, which suggests many students will need to take on private loans or choose not to attend medical school at all.

Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has made a $42 million donation to Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina, This is nearly triple the amount she gifted to the university in 2020, bringing her total investment in ECSU to $57 million in just six years.

“These partnerships represent a deliberate investment in ensuring HBCU leaders are not only prepared to assume leadership roles, but supported through structured development, shared learning, and governance practices that promote institutional stability and long-term success,” said Aja Johnson, senior program manager for executive leadership at the UNCF Institute for Capacity Building.

After the Howard University women's basketball team knelt before a recent game against the United States Military Academy, the HBCU's administrators implemented a new protocol requiring student-athletes to stand during the national anthem or remain in their locker rooms. Prior to the new policy, the team had knelt before every game since 2020.

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.