Hampton University James T. George School of Business Announces Fulfillment of $1 Million Partnership with Prudential Financial and PGIM Through Main Lecture Hall Renaming and Additional Support Programs

Courtesy of Hampton University

Hampton University James T. George School of Business announced its continued partnership with Prudential Financial and PGIM, Prudential’s global asset management business, through renaming the school’s main lecture hall, previously known as Buckman Room 101, in honor of the late former Dean Dr. Sid Howard Credle. Hampton commemorated the dedication with a ceremony at the newly renamed Dr. Sid H. Credle Hall. These activities are part of Prudential and PGIM’s significant commitment to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The partnership with Prudential, which began in 2010 with a $1 million pledge, paves the way for continued and deepened collaboration in the future.

“On behalf of the Hampton University community, I would like to thank Prudential for their unwavering support of our students,” said Darrell K. Williams, Hampton University President. “I am proud to see Hampton and Prudential continuing to collaborate and explore new, bold, comprehensive approaches to enabling our students to become the next generation of outstanding business professionals. I believe that Hampton’s commitment to preparing our nation’s future leaders combined with Prudential’s commitment to investing in our students will cultivate and mobilize the business leaders and community partners of the future.

Hampton University’s partnership with Prudential and PGIM will enhance the ability of both institutions to impact more than 500 students in the School of Business through networking and job opportunities, as well as provide access to real-world experiences, skill-building, and other educational resources. Prudential’s support will also include a guest lecture series featuring senior Prudential leadership and a customized fellowship program, consisting of a $10,000 college scholarship, a mentor from Prudential, and access to workshops and private events. In addition to having previously funded Bloomberg terminal licenses for students, PGIM’s partnership will leverage its investment management expertise to engage directly with students and professors to bolster their investments and finance coursework. It will support student programs to increase access and exposure to the investment management industry through the PGIM HBCU Strategic Initiatives program.

“Prudential Financial is a long-time supporter of HBCUs, and Hampton is one of our strongest partners,” said Shané Harris, president of The Prudential Foundation. “This announcement furthers support of education and career pathways of Black students to achieve financial prosperity and close the racial wealth gap.”

HBCUs have played a pivotal role in advancing the economic mobility of Black Americans for more than 150 years. Prudential and PGIM’s partnership with Hampton University builds the capacity of HBCUs to support not only its students but the broader community by reducing financial burdens on students and helping to remove structural barriers to Black economic empowerment. While HBCUs represent only three percent of colleges and universities in the U.S., they confer 20 percent of all bachelor’s degrees awarded to Black students. Correspondingly, 53 percent of HBCU students move into higher income brackets – while only 35 percent of peers at White institutions experience the same. HBCUs also disproportionally serve low-income students, and over 52 percent of HBCU students are first-generation college students.