UNCF Hosting Summit on HBCU Transformation
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Posted By: Kennedy Williams on May 25, 2022 Join thought leaders, educators, researchers, advocates, students and practitioners to learn, share ideas and build connections focusing on the transformation of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the 21st century at UNITE 2022 hosted by UNCF (United Negro College Fund), June 12-16 at the Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway. Registration is now open at www.UNCFUnite.org This year’s conference theme is “Delivering on the Promise of Black Higher Education.” UNITE 2022 will bring together dozens of HBCUs and predominantly Black institutions (PBIs) who have partnered with UNCF and its Institute for Capacity Building (ICB) on efforts to sustain academic excellence, improve operation effectiveness and accelerate innovation at Black colleges and universities. UNITE 2022 is featuring a packed agenda. The summit has confirmed the participation of national leaders in Black higher education, including Dietra Trent, executive director, White House Initiative on HBCUs; Jim Shelton, chief investment partner, Blue Meridian Partners; Melonie Parker, chief diversity officer, Google; Byna Elliott, managing director and head of Advancing Black Pathways, JPMorgan Chase; Yolanda Watson Spiva, president, Complete College America; Ivory Toldson, Howard professor and national director of education innovation and research, NAACP; Nicole Lynn Lewis, founder, Generation Hope; Jamal Watson, contributing editor, “Diverse Issues in Higher Education”; and Eddie Cole, UCLA professor and author of the award-winning book “The Campus Color Line.” The summit will be held in person for the first time since 2019 and expects record-breaking attendance, including executive leadership, administration, faculty and students from dozens of the nation’s 102 historically Black colleges and universities and 37 predominantly Black institutions. “When we founded ICB back in 2006, it was our dream to build a premier platform that created solutions for the transformation of Black colleges and universities and all of Black higher education,” said UNCF President and CEO Dr. Michael L. Lomax. “Now, more than 15 years later, we have the experience, partnerships and resources needed to realize this vision and solidify our focus on institutional transformation. We see tremendous value in every Black college and university. HBCUs and PBIs are ready to showcase their transformative impact and build on the long overdue investments made in the past few years.” Jim Shelton, chief impact and investment officer, Blue Meridian Partners, said his organization is proud to have committed more than $60 million to support transformation at HBCUs. “I’m looking forward to hearing first-hand at UNITE 2022 how Black colleges and universities—who have historically done more with less—can maximize the recent surge in catalytic investments,” Shelton said. “I hope the display of their outsized impact for generations encourages other investors of the worthiness of supporting Black higher education.” HBCUs have a 150-year history of providing equity through education by providing pathways to social and economic mobility for students from marginalized and underresourced communities. The role HBCUs play in leveling the playing field for students and families who have been locked out of opportunities to advance their economic and social standing has largely gone unheralded. According to McKinsey’s research, HBCUs have the potential to produce nearly $10 billion in additional Black worker incomes, $1.2 billion in incremental business profit, $300 million in decreased student loan debt, and $1 billion in additional consumer expenditures. HBCU students are 51% more likely to climb into higher income brackets. HBCUs outpace their peers in conferring degrees to Black students. While HBCUs represent only 3% of higher education institutions, they confer 17% of all bachelor’s degrees earned by Black Americans and confer 24% of all STEM degrees earned by Black students. Edward Smith-Lewis, UNCF vice president for strategic partnerships and institutional programs, said he sees UNITE 2022 as a homecoming for those committed to HBCU transformation. “UNITE 2022 is one of our most important platforms to propel the growth and strengthening of Black colleges and universities,” Smith-Lewis said. “Our institutional partners join UNITE to accelerate new and existing initiatives designed to secure their long-term sustainability.” Attendees will come together to discuss a range of efforts related to the long-term resilience of Black colleges and universities, including: A celebration of the successes of the Career Pathways Initiative, UNCF’s groundbreaking effort to galvanize 32 Black colleges and universities on execution of institutional strategic priorities UNCF’s deepening work as an intermediary for HBCUs, PBIs and Black higher education, including progress made as an Intermediary for Scale and a new partnership with public HBCUs and Thurgood Marshall College Fund through the HBCU Transformation Project The future of digital learning at HBCUs, including a hackathon that will shape the development of HBCUv, an e-learning and virtual experience designed by and for HBCUs Sessions and learning tracks on executive leadership, strategic finance, data & analytics, mental health, and student success at HBCUs and PBIs. UNITE 2022 will be held in person but will offer opportunities to participate for those not able to travel to Atlanta. All plenary sessions will be livestreamed and available on the conference website. Register for UNITE 2022 at www.UNCFunite.org SOURCE UNCF If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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Kennedy Williams
From Loganville, GA Spelman College class of 2020 Member Since July 2016 |
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