HBCUs

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.

“It is an honor to be selected as the next president of Tougaloo College, an institution with a profound legacy of academic excellence and social transformation,” said Dr. Wiggins. “I look forward to working collaboratively with the board of trustees, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the broader Tougaloo community to advance the college's mission and strengthen its future.”

“This research helps to quantify HBCUs' impact on their local communities, which we think should be an important finding for policymakers, especially considering that about half of HBCUs are public universities that are highly dependent on state legislatures for their funding,” said Russell Weinstein of the University of Illinois.

“I am honored to join North Carolina A&T, a university with such a rich history of excellence and a clear vision for the future,” said Dr. Daire. “I look forward to working with faculty, staff, and students to build on the university’s momentum and ensure that every Aggie has the support they need to succeed.”

Using survey data on a range on industries, occupations, and unions in the South, the study discusses the challenges facing Black workers and their viewpoints on unions.

During a Lincoln University of Pennsylvania homecoming celebration in October 2025, 20-year-old Jujuan Jeffers was shot and killed. Jeffers' family has recently filed a lawsuit against the HBCU, seeking punitive damages and an audit of Lincoln's safety policies.

Ibram X. Kendi is the inaugural Carter G. Woodson Endowed Chair in History at Howard University in Washington, D.C. James Lee III is the Endowed Professor in Composition and Theoretical Studies at Morgan State University in Baltimore.

Through the new Partnership for Southern Impact, scholars from Fisk University and the New York University School of Law will work together with communities and civic groups throughout the South to make local and state governments more representative.

“This award represents both an honor and a responsibility,” said Alabama A&M University Professor Mebougna Drabo. “It reflects confidence in our research capabilities and our commitment to excellence.”

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.

“By ensuring HBCUs are full partners in our national AI research network, we are building a more equitable innovation economy and ensuring that the talent and excellence at our HBCUs help lead the future of artificial intelligence,” said U.S. Congresswoman Valerie Foushee of North Carolina.

At age 62, Black adults who had gone to an HBCU had better memory and cognitive function than their counterparts who attended a predominately White institution.