Campus News - Page 61

Martin University to Close After Nearly 50 Years, Citing Unsustainable Financial Model

Martin University, a historically Black institution that has served Indianapolis’s underserved communities for nearly five decades, will close its doors permanently after the Board of Trustees voted to cease operations due to insurmountable financial challenges. The full Board of Trustees made the decision to pause operations, which ultimately led to closure, according to a letter released by the board. The Higher Learning Commission subsequently directed the university to cease operations entirely. “Without an endowment and given today’s political climate around higher education funding, this financial model is simply not sustainable,” the board stated in the letter. University officials said that their

The shocking UNCF survey & the media strategy to promote HBCUs

The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) released a report titled “Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges” that outlined a startling knowledge gap about HBCUs among students who don’t live in areas rich with a large number of black colleges. The 2022 survey included 146 students, teachers, and counselors who live in the West, Midwest, and Northeast and were affiliated with seven high schools in California, Indiana, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. The study illuminates a significant brand knowledge gap between educators and students, leading to guidance that doesn’t center on HBCUs as an educational option. The findings of the study indicate that over 60% of students

AABE’s 4th annual HBCU Energy Hackathon continues mission of opening minds and doors for students

Students from five historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) squared off recently in the fourth annual HBCU Energy Hackathon presented by the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE). The event featured teams from Alabama A&M University, Tuskegee University, Talladega College,  Lawson State Community College  and Trenholm State Community College competing for prizes totaling $17,500. The Birmingham Chapter of AABE partnered with the Alabama Power Foundation to present the hackathon, held Nov. 20 at Alabama Power headquarters in downtown Birmingham. The purpose is to introduce students to human-centered design thinking and foster innovation around energy-related challenges. This year’s challenge was to “Quantify the Impact: A Digital Tool for Non-Energy Benefits of Home Efficiency.” Students were tasked with designing

Florida Memorial University Has Been Placed on Probation by Regional Accrediting Body

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) has placed Florida Memorial University on accreditation probation for good cause due to failure to meet standards relating to financial health, fiscal controls, and federal and state compliance obligations. In June 2021, the Miami Gardens-based HBCU was placed on probation for good cause, but that was lifted after a year due to improvements in financial stability. However, an on-site SACSCOC visit to Florida Memorial University in 2023 determined the HBCU was again not meeting the commission’s financial standards. On December 9, 2025, the SACSCOC reaffirmed its 2023 findings, resulting

Israeli Artists at Xavier University Spark Global Cultural Exchange

Israeli artists are building cultural bridges at Xavier University of Louisiana, the nation’s only Catholic HBCU, through a powerful arts residency that uses music as a vehicle for global dialogue, shared history, and mutual understanding. At a time when conversations about identity, faith, and geopolitics are increasingly polarized, the presence of Israeli artists on an HBCU campus has created space for nuanced engagement rooted in creativity rather than conflict. The residency brought Israeli musicians Neta Elkayam and Amit Hai Cohen to Xavier’s New Orleans campus, where they worked directly with students through workshops, classroom discussions, and live performances. Their music—deeply influenced

HBCU attacks continue misinformation about America’s top talent producing institutions

by Kevin Harris and Richard McDaniel There is a dangerous misinformation campaign about Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The false narrative that HBCUs are somehow fragile, dependent on foreign students, or lesser-tier institutions was most recently pushed when Donald Trump suggested HBCUs would go out of business without students from China. Like most of what Trump says, his take on HBCUs is false. International students are not the financial backbone of HBCUs and foreign students make up a very small fraction of the typical HBCU population. While Trump’s HBCU claims are easily disproved, the need to articulate who and

Nonprofit fund to invest millions in grants for HBCUs, including 2 in Georgia

The Reinvestment Fund, a national nonprofit, announced the inaugural cohort of its HBCU Brilliance Initiative, aimed at supporting the financial health of 11 Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the United States. The initiative, which combines grants and technical assistance, will provide each participating institution with $40,000 in grants and up to $1,000,000 in financing. “We are so thrilled to announce this inaugural cohort of the HBCU Brilliance Initiative program, a transformational experience that will help to build thriving higher education institutions and sustainable communities,” Christina Alexis, Head of the HBCU Brilliance Initiative Program at Reinvestment Fund, said in a

Angola Hosts HBCU Leaders at UN to Strengthen Pan-African Education Partnerships

By Ajong Mbapndah L New York, December 19, 2025 — By mid-morning, the Nelson Mandela Conference Room at the African Union Mission to the United Nations had settled into a familiar UN rhythm: headsets adjusted, notebooks open, quiet exchanges between diplomats and university presidents who, only moments earlier, had not met. What brought them together was a shared question: how can higher education move beyond classrooms to become a tool for peace, security, and development across Africa? The Future of HBCUs in Africa: A High-Level HBCU Leadership Meeting, convened by the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Angola, unfolded more like

Howard University latest HBCU to embrace AI

Howard University is leaning boldly into the future of innovation by embracing artificial intelligence as a tool for equity, access, and real-world impact. At the center of this effort is Dr. Gloria Washington, director of Howard’s Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence Institute (HCAI), a research hub funded by the Office of Naval Research. Under her leadership, Washington and her team are working to ensure that AI is not only cutting-edge but actually useful for everyone—from HBCU students and faculty to government agencies and a wide range of industry sectors—while keeping human needs, ethics, and inclusion at the forefront of technological advancement. This past summer, Washington

Pioneer HBCU Band Director Richard Beckford Dies After Long Illness

The historically Black college and university band community is mourning the death of Dr. Richard Beckford, a longtime band director and educator. Beckford’s death was announced by Florida Memorial University Dec. 26, though the date of his death remains undisclosed. Director of Bands for Florida Memorial University, he succumbed to complications from a longstanding illness. In 2024, a GoFundMe was started by Dr. Beckford’s daughter, Angie, to assist Beckford as he recovered from a lung transplant. According to the May 2024 campaign, Beckford’s surgery was successful, and he was on the road to recovery. Beckford served as director of bands at Florida

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