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Historic Black Church Erases Student Debt for SAU Seniors

Alfred Street Baptist Church of Alexandria, Virginia, a prominent Black congregation located just outside Washington D.C., has donated $132,469 to Saint Augustine’s University (SAU) to eliminate the outstanding debt of 11 graduating seniors, enabling them to receive their diplomas debt-free at the May 3rd commencement ceremony. The timely donation comes as SAU faces a litany of challenges, including an appeal to hold on to its accreditation. The 222-year-old church, one of the nation’s oldest and largest predominantly African American congregations with approximately 13,000 members, has a long history of supporting historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Church officials estimate about

T.D. Jakes Steps Down as Lead Pastor at The Potter’s House

By NBC Dallas-Fort Worth staff A major shakeup is coming to one of the biggest churches in Dallas, as Bishop T.D. Jakes announced Sunday he’s handing over leadership of The Potter’s House congregation to his daughter and son-in-law. The emotional announcement comes months after Jakes had a massive heart attack while delivering a sermon on stage at the church. “You have been faithful to God, and you have been faithful to me,” T.D. Jakes told the congregation during Sunday morning’s service at The Potter’s House. “And I’m so grateful.” Holding back tears, Bishop T.D. Jakes thanked his church family and announced he’s stepping

Howard’s Youngest Students Tackle Food Insecurity

Written By Howard University Newsroom The smallest students on Howard University’s campus are already making the biggest impact in their community. Earlier this year, the children enrolled in the Howard University Early Learning Program (HUELP) collected two bins of canned goods and essential items for donation to Nourish HU — a campus resource that provides food, supplies, and other necessities at no cost to students in need. The Pre-K3, Pre-K4, Kindergarten, and 1st grade students gave back through an initiative which was based in lessons they were learning about food insecurity, and how access to nutritious food affects individuals and

Howard Students Develop Ingenious Ways to Protect Earth

By Zora Johnson As Howard University marks Earth Day 2025, student environmental advocates are leading a range of environmentally conscious initiatives focused on sustainability, conservation, and community awareness. They have used their creativity, ingenuity, and collaboration skills to illustrate their commitment to the longevity of the planet. From planning a festival to promote awareness to creating sustainability strategies, student activists are making their voices head and their impact felt. Projects span a range of interests, from animal advocacy to eco-friendly fashion to international environmental service.  Here’s a snapshot of the growing environmental movement at the Mecca.  Early Earth Day Howard

The FBC Initiative Hosts 4th Annual Flint to HBCU Forum: ‘How to Protect and Preserve the Culture’

The Floyd and Brenda Clack (FBC) Initiative will host its 4th Annual Flint to HBCU Forum on Thursday, May 15, 2025, from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM at the International Academy of Flint. This free and public event aims to inspire Flint-area students to explore Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and understand their cultural and academic significance. Co-hosted by FBC Founder and Hampton University senior Hailee Clack and Morehouse College junior Antonio Sweeney, the forum will feature two engaging panels. The first will highlight current HBCU students and alumni sharing their journeys and advice. The second will explore national education policies and the challenges facing Diversity, Equity,

Discovering the ‘transformational’ power of HBCUs

The benefits of attending Historically Black colleges and universities and the importance of representation in higher education were two key areas of focus during the recent HBCU Power Panel at Innovation Central High School. HBCU Power is an organization that connects would-be students to HBCUs and highlights achievements of students and alumni. The event brought in a group of local leaders to talk about their experiences with HBCUs. Students from Innovation Central and Grand Rapids Montessori high schools attended. “We’re excited to host this event because we believe that representation matters,” Innovation Central Principal Derek Martin told students prior to the panel. “Exposure … to

HBCU Tour Inspires Local Students to Dream Big

The roughly five hour bus ride from Washington, D.C. to Poughkeepsie gave students time to reflect on the four-day odyssey they would soon complete. Many discussed with each other how they had been inspired: to keep their grades up, to apply for scholarships, to think more seriously about their post-graduation goals, to take ownership of their future. From March 31 to April 3, a group of roughly 30 Poughkeepsie High School juniors and sophomores took part in a trip touring four Washington-based Historically Black Colleges and Universities, or HBCUs, and capital monuments and museums. The idea was not only to

HBCU Alumni at Atlanta United Celebrate Black Excellence

Atlanta is a city of Black excellence, and HBCUs play a vital part in that. HBCUs are historically black colleges and universities, and Atlanta is home to four: Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine and Spelman College. More than 35 associates currently employed at Arthur M. Blank Sports & Entertainment, the parent company of Atlanta United, are alumni of HBCUs. Some went to the schools right here in Atlanta and some went to schools outside the state. Together, these associates bring the common values of HBCUs – family, legacy, representation – into the workplace to make AMBSE

NAHB Hosts 2025 HBCU Mixer at Builders’ Show in Las Vegas

NAHB’s Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Student and Faculty Leadership program hosted the second annual Black Builder and Mentor Mixer at the 2025 International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas. The event at The New American Home 2025 welcomed 110 students and mentors, including 18 HBCU students who participated in the leadership program’s second cohort. Students toured the prestigious 9,047-square-foot home, which features five bedrooms, five and one-half bathrooms, and an 800-square-foot subterranean wine cellar and lounge. Mark Schlachter from Sun West Custom Homes, who served as superintendent of the build, spoke to the students about his tips, hardships, and how his team

Dr. Kimberly Mayfield Leads Effort to Launch HBCU in Oakland

By Ken Epstein Dr. Kimberly Mayfield, who, until recently served as deputy mayor of Oakland, has been working for several years with educators and community groups to create a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) or other Black-serving institution of higher education in Oakland — potentially on the fully operational campus of Holy Names University in East Oakland, which went out of business in 2023. The goal, according to Mayfield, is to “create a Black-serving institution in Oakland, which means that 50% or more of the student body would be African American.” The Oakland program could either be an HBCU,

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