Campus News - Page 35

MacKenzie Scott Gives $700M to Transform HBCU Education

Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has announced another monumental round of giving. Her latest donations provide over $700 million to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This marks one of the largest single philanthropic distributions to HBCUs in history. The unrestricted funds arrive as these institutions tackle longstanding financial disparities. According to ABC News, the gifts empower schools to invest in scholarships, infrastructure, and research without donor restrictions. Record-Breaking Gifts Transform Campus Futures Scott’s fall 2025 donations averaged approximately $47 million per institution. Prairie View A&M University in Texas received a transformative $63 million. This brings Scott’s total investment in the university to

Veronica Hairston Wins Prestigious UNC System Service Award

Written By Lexx Thornton North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Assistant Director of Student Activities Veronica Hairston ’09, ’17, has received the Erskine B. Bowles Staff Service Award, one of the highest honors presented to employees across the University of North Carolina System.  The award, established by the UNC System Staff Assembly, recognizes exceptional service, leadership and commitment to improving student experience. Named in honor of former UNC System President Erskine Bowles, the award highlights staff members who demonstrate superior dedication to public service and to their campus communities.  Hairston, who has served N.C. A&T for nearly a decade

HBCU Students Tackle Urban Development in $10K Competition

The Compassion-Centered Co-Governance Pitch Competition invites students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the country to tackle the complex issues behind urban development. Winners receive $10,000, with registration closing on November 15. Helping the participants develop their solutions in historically under resourced communities will be faculty mentors, including Winston-Salem State University professor and Spatial Justice Studio founder Russell Smith. He spoke with WFDD’s David Ford. Interview Highlights On the project proposals: “We want these to be visionary projects. We want students to really think about how do we solve this problem. And to be honest with you, it’s really difficult. Most projects that involve redevelopment involve

Howard University Hosts Hip Hop & Technology Conference 2025

By The Howard University Newsroom Staff Howard University’s third annual Hip Hop Studies Conference is set to take place Nov. 14-16, and this year’s theme — “Respect the Technique: Hip-Hop & Technology” — dives into how hip-hop continues to push boundaries through innovation, sound, and digital creativity. The weekend will bring together artists, scholars, and innovators for panels, workshops, film screenings, and live demonstrations that explore how technology shapes the culture — from beat-making and engineering to AI, streaming, and digital storytelling. Special guests include rapper and producer Reuben Vincent, Grammy Award–winning producer 9th Wonder, Grammy Award-winning artist The D.O.C., legendary engineer Young Guru, and South

Grambling State’s Dr. Martin Lemelle Transforms HBCU Leadership

Dr. Martin Lemelle Jr., the 11th president of Grambling State University (GSU), represents something remarkable in higher education leadership. At one of the youngest ages to hold such a position at an HBCU, he’s blazing new trails while honoring deep roots. The third-generation Grambling graduate has turned fiscal challenges into opportunities, improving the university’s financial health by an impressive 200%. Under his leadership, students now travel globally through innovative programs, while partnerships with major brands like Adidas bring fresh energy to campus life. As Grambling approaches its 125th anniversary, Dr. Lemelle is positioning the institution where “everybody is somebody” for

SC State Launches SMART VR Lab to Train Safer Truck Drivers

Written By Lexx Thornton South Carolina State University is poised to train the next generation of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) professionals with the help of nearly $2 million in federal funding.  University officials cut the ribbon on its SMART (Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation) Virtual Reality Lab following a ceremony on Wednesday morning at the Engineering and Computer Science Complex on campus.  “Drivers that are trained here in South Carolina, they just don’t drive in South Carolina. They drive across the nation. So, this will have an impact across the country. I’m super excited about our ability to participate in

B-CU Launches First HBCU Compass Club, Marking Historic Milestone

History was made Monday, Oct. 13, when Bethune-Cookman University hosted the first Historically Black Colleges and Universities’ Compass Club Chapter in the United States, the club announced in a recent press release. The Pilot Club of the Halifax Area will serve as its sponsor, providing guidance as the new Compass Club members begin their journey of “friendship and service.” B-CU Freshman Support Specialist Jairus Brown will serve as the club’s school advisor. During the charter ceremony, 16 members were inducted: President Sophia Casseus; President-Elect Zadariya Shanks; Secretary Joshua Rubens; Treasurer Mila Bostik; Qwesi Allen; Kiyona Bailey; Madison Brown; Shakira Brown;

Spelman Expands NEON Partnership to Reach More Student Scholars

Courtesy of Spelman College Spelman College is proud to announce the expansion of its partnership with the newly renamed National Education Opportunity Network (NEON), formerly the National Education Equity Lab. Since Spelman joined the network in Spring 2023, the program has rapidly grown from one class and 50 students to two classes and nearly 300 students in 2025. Spelman has helped educate 542 NEON scholars from 33 high schools across 15 cities over the past two years. Twelve of the NEON scholars later enrolled at Spelman after graduating high school. The College is on track to enroll an additional 600 scholars in

N.C. A&T Earns Top Rankings for Value, Mobility and Career Impact

Written By Lexx Thornton As the most high-profile university rankings for the current academic year conclude, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has logged several important new recognitions of its quality and impact.  LinkedIn, the venerable social networking platform focused on professional connections and career development, released its first college rankings this fall and named North Carolina A&T America’s No. 1 public historically Black college or university (HBCU) and No. 4 among all HBCUs.   The LinkedIn rankings are built on exclusive data from its own platform, looking at career outcomes of alumni, such as job placement rates and advancement

New Report Highlights Growth and Underfunding of Public HBCUs

A new report from the Dr. N. Joyce Payne Research Center at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund has documented the economic achievements of public historically Black colleges and universities, despite their historic underfunding. Since 2004, applications to public HBCUs have surged by 126 percent – significantly higher than the 26.6 percent overall enrollment growth at all postsecondary institutions in the nation. This could be attributed to the affordability of public HBCUs, where average tuition and fees are about half the cost of attending private HBCUs. Additionally, more than three-quarters of students at public HBCUs receive some form of financial aid. After graduating,

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