The 10th annual UNCF North Texas Mayors’ Masked Ball was a huge success, conducted on Feb. 7 at the Hyatt Regency, Dallas. With more than 650 guests in attendance, the event raised $550,000 in cash and in-kind donations, and featured various dignitaries, speakers, an awards presentation and more. The evening brought together a cross-section of
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The Century Foundation recently published a new analysis tracking how some southern states fail to properly distribute student financial aid, finding that a high share of state grant dollars go to students from high-income families. According to the Century Foundation’s research, one of the worst states when it comes to effectively distributing financial aid is Mississippi, the
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A historic weekend for HBCU women’s basketball saw Winston-Salem State capture its first-ever CIAA championship and Alabama A&M clinch a share of the SWAC regular-season title for the first time in program history. Winston-Salem State defeated Fayetteville State 60–43 in the CIAA women’s tournament’s championship game on Feb. 28. Entering the matchup with a 26–3
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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — For nearly 150 years, Philander Smith University has stood in Little Rock as a place built to educate, uplift and open doors, and it continues that mission today, even as funding challenges persist for Arkansas’ private historically Black colleges and universities. Founded in 1877, Philander Smith University was created to educate
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Opening Remarks Frame HBCUs as Essential, Not Peripheral The formal program began with remarks from Tonjia Hope Navas (Ph.D. ’24), assistant provost for international programs, and Trustee Emerita Marie C. Johns (DHL ’13), the 2025-26 King Endowed Chair holder. They both framed the conversation as timely and necessary, an invitation to think expansively about where higher education
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The N.C. A&T Aggies and Hampton Pirates invaded Los Angeles California during Valentine’s Day weekend for a pulse-pounding NBA HBCU Classic. Alumni and students alike spent the weekend in the Hyatt hotel, affectionately dubbed, “Aggies in L.A.” Each day consisted of a rich itinerary for everyone including networking events, panel sessions, games, and even an
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Ashley Conner was named vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics at Edward Waters University in Jacksonville, Florida. She first joined the university’s athletics administration team in July 2023 as the associate athletic director for student services and senior woman administrator. Earlier, she was the university’s executive director of student success and retention. Conner holds a
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By Roy S. Johnson After languishing dormant for almost two years since the closing of financially failing Birmingham-Southern College, the sprawling 192-acre campus on the city’s west side has a new owner. U.S. Homeland Security has agreed to purchase the property and make it the newest home of the U.S. Coast Guard, according to an announcement on Wednesday.
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By Abigail Williams, Dan De Luce and Justin Goldman WASHINGTON — In the days after the U.S. and Israel launched an air war against Iran, the State Department issued new advisories warning Americans to reconsider traveling to several countries in the region. By then, it was too late. Thousands of Americans are now stranded in the Middle East as Iran retaliates with
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Courtesy of Spelman College Spelman College Diana King Endowed Professor Shola Lynch has been awarded Outstanding Documentary (Television) and Outstanding Directing in a Documentary by the NAACP Image Awards for her film “Number One on the Call Sheet.” Released in March 2025 on Apple TV+, the two-part documentary explores the experiences of leading Black actors and actresses in
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