By Keith Olson is the Director of Communications for Bluefield State University
MacKenzie Scott’s recent $70 million gift to the UNCF is noble, generous, and will draw national attention to the transformative role of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. For the 37 private UNCF member institutions, this pooled endowment will provide long-term financial stability and new opportunities to expand their impact.
However, for public HBCUs like Bluefield State, the story is starkly different: this gift brings no direct benefit to our students, and while it elevates awareness of HBCUs, it threatens to deepen the divide between institutions with strong endowments and those still fighting to keep students enrolled. Bluefield State is a STEM-focused university with a proud tradition of preparing engineers, nurses, health scientists, and business leaders who drive the economic and social vitality of our region. Our graduates are not only entering high-demand fields but also filling critical workforce shortages in Appalachia.
The value of this education is clear in our recent enrollment growth. This fall, Bluefield State reached its highest enrollment in a decade, with a 43 percent increase in first-time freshmen choosing our programs in engineering, health sciences, and business.
Students and families are making it clear that a STEM education at Bluefield State is a pathway to opportunity and stability. Yet despite our role in training the professionals who sustain local hospitals, businesses, and infrastructure, we continue to operate with far fewer financial resources than many of our peers.
Unlike private HBCUs that are steadily building endowment reserves through philanthropy, Bluefield State depends heavily on state appropriations and modest donor support to meet the immediate needs of our students. That divide has very real consequences for our students.
At Bluefield State, we serve a student body that is diverse, hardworking, and deeply connected to the Appalachian communities we call home. Many of our students are the first in their families to attend college and balance academics with jobs and family responsibilities. For them, even a small financial setback such as a few hundred dollars on a tuition balance, an unexpected car repair, or an increase in textbook costs can be the difference between finishing a degree or leaving college without one. Without the cushion of a large endowment, we rely heavily on direct donor support to bridge these gaps.
Big headlines about multimillion-dollar gifts may create the impression that HBCUs are secure, when the reality is that public HBCUs are often left behind. Our students still face daily struggles that threaten to interrupt their education.
The question we must ask is this: how do we ensure that all HBCUs, not just some, have the resources they need to thrive? Part of the answer lies in federal and state policy, where we must continue pressing for equitable funding formulas and investments in public institutions that serve high-need students. Part of it lies in philanthropy, where we must call on donors to look beyond the headlines and recognize the urgent needs at places like Bluefield State. When donors invest in Bluefield State, they are not just supporting a single campus. They are strengthening the entire region of southern West Virginia and southwest Virginia. They are ensuring that students from Appalachia have access to the same opportunities as those at wealthier institutions. They are investing in nurses, engineers, teachers, and business leaders who will give back to their communities for decades to come.
While MacKenzie Scott’s gift is a reminder of the difference philanthropy can make, it should also be a call to action. If we are serious about equity in higher education, then we must extend that generosity to the public HBCUs that continue to operate without safety nets. Bluefield State may not have the luxury of large reserves, but we have talent, determination, and a proven record of transforming lives. With the right support, we can ensure that every student who comes through our doors leaves with a degree and a future full of promise.
