Courtesy of Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View A&M University is moving forward with a 10-year plan to become part of the Top 10 public HBCUs nationwide. By 2035, the goal is to become âa premier, public, research-intensive HBCU that serves as a national model for student success,â Prairie View President Tomikia P. LeGrande said in a statement.
âPVAMU will be bold, dynamic, and united, infused by our rich history. This strategic plan guides our ambition and pushes for progress. We remain committed to improving the world-class, innovative education we provide to our students, the environment in which our faculty and staff work, and the communities we serve,â she added. âOur focus on increasing academic excellence, on retaining and hiring the best and most creative faculty and staff, and on encouraging pathbreaking research will continue to underpin all of our future activities. Similarly, our traditional core values and shared ethical principles will always guide our actions.â
Goals include higher graduation rates and enrolling students in the top 25% of their high school graduating class. LeGrande also wants the HBCU to attract more graduate students, students who did not complete their college degrees, as well as international students.
âEverything that we will do at Prairie View is focused on making sure that we are delivering on being a public good,â she said, according to The Houston Chronicle. âThat we are providing opportunity and access to students, but weâre giving them a quality experience, graduating them at high rates, and helping them get employment or graduate school soon after graduation.â
LeGrande noted the importance of needing additional funding from the state, federal government and donors to reach these goals. This past year, Prairie View received a nearly $1.7 million donation from bp and Shell Energy to establish an energy trading program; a $495,012 federal grant to address diversity in the teaching body; a grant by Mozilla Foundation for computing students; and PRISE grants to faculty members for research on global challenges.