Tag: Higher Education

Make An Impact: How You Can Help HCF Today

Posted on by HCF Communications

Dear Supporters,

We are needing your help. Our charge at HBCU Campaign Fund (HCF) is to work tirelessly to assist students and higher education. Thank you for your unwavering support throughout the years of our organization’s existence; we were able to make dreams come true. Furthermore, as we continue our mission to remain strong advocates for students and HBCUs, we would like your continued support to become an HBCU Campaign Fund donor in helping us in the longevity fight in strengthening the HBCU space.

Our mission is to fundraise a goal of $50,000 while instituting initiative programming and partnerships in support of HBCUs and their communities. We’ll accomplish those goals by providing scholarships, endowments and enhancing the significance of those who our organization supports.

Our fundraising campaigns focus on raising funding for students who have financial needs to continue their college education or assist the organization with the necessary financing for providing initiative programming to students and HBCUs. Your contribution is critical and beneficial to many individuals supported through HCF who fall short financially. Our goal is to assist as many individuals in need and ensure that they accomplish their dreams.

We are calling on all HBCU alumni, friends, affinity groups, and education supporters to help us support students going to college and keep them in college by supporting the HBCU Campaign Fund with a generous gift to continue the proposed dreamed mission.

If you would like to become a donor, you can make an online donation at www.hbcucampaignfund.org/donate. You may donate directly below or mail to HBCU Campaign Fund, 12558 S. Princeton Ave, Chicago, IL 60628-7225. Your donation will provide access to the key of education for many students who are achieving their goals to success. We Are HBCUs.

Yours Sincerely,

Demetrius Johnson, Jr.
Founder, President and CEO
HBCU Campaign Fund

HCF Announces The National Ten Most Dominant HBCU Leaders of 2022

Posted on by HCF Communications

CHICAGO, IL – The HBCU Campaign Fund (HCF) has released its annual The Ten Most Dominant HBCU Leaders Award & Class. The Ten Most Dominant HBCU Leaders Award & Class is a national recognition ranking that was created by the HBCU Campaign Fund, a non-profit that advocates for historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs).

The dynamics of higher education in America today are driving the demand for a new set of skills and capabilities for tomorrow leaders. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) provide a high-quality education to low-income, first-generation, and academically underprepared students. Also, these institutions as such serve a diverse population while maintaining the role as the backbone of higher education and well underrepresented for more than a 150-year history.

According to HCF’s Founder, President & CEO, Demetrius Johnson Jr., the fifth selected group of leaders have “proven their responsibilities for shaping policies, changing perspectives, and making decisions that affect millions of individuals in the higher education space, and the daily needs of what an HBCU or Minority-Serving Institutions contributes.”

The organization has identified ten chancellors and presidents currently serving an HBCU or MSI, who exemplify a prominent and influential role in leadership and model the characteristics of the following responsibilities in the progression of effectively moving an institution forward.

In addition, the organization announced the inaugural Dr. Lawrence A. Davis, Jr. Trailblazers of Higher Education Award among The Ten Most Dominant HBCU Leaders. A new honor that will recognize a current or retiring/retired president or chancellor that serve(s) a HBCU or MSI and upholds decade-long value and contributions to the field of higher education.

Receiving the inaugural award are retiring presidents Dr. Andrew Hugine, Jr., of Alabama A&M University, and Dr. William R. Harvey of Hampton University. Dr. Lawrence A. Davis, Jr. is also among Hugine and Harvey to receive the honor.

HCF Honors AAMU’s 11th President Dr. Andrew Hugine, Jr. as One of Its First Trailblazers of Higher Education Honorees Among Its Ten Most Dominant HBCU Leaders Award Recipients and Fifth Class

“This is a delightful time for us at HCF as we approach revealing the fifth class of honorees for the annual award recognition. As a student under Dr. Davis’ leadership, I appreciate all of his contributions to our beloved Dear Mother and am honored to acknowledge him in such a prestigious way,” said HC President & CEO, Demetrius Johnson Jr. “I commend Dr. Hugine and Dr. Harvey on a magnificent job well done for the roles that they’ve played at their institutions, and this could not be more than special to salute them for their leadership. We congratulate them both on their retirements and send our very best wishes.”

Click here to view the Ten Most Dominant HBCU Leaders of 2022 award recipients and fifth-class honorees.

About the HBCU Campaign Fund

The HBCU Campaign Fund (HCF) was founded in 2012 and is a non-profit educational organization that remains a strong advocate for students and higher education. The mission of HCF is to support the significance and raise funds for scholarships, programs, and for private and public HBCUs and MSIs. For more information, visit www.hbcucampaignfund.org.

###

Best Holiday Wishes From HCF

Posted on by HCF Communications

Wishing you a joyous holiday season! Because of your continuous generous support of the HBCU Campaign Fund (HCF), you have given us so many reasons to say “Thank You” this holiday season.

On the behalf of everyone at the HCF, we hope you have a safe and very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We thank you for all you do to help us support students and higher education, especially on the fight to Campaign For HBCUs. YOU are the reason that the fight continues and that successes happens at our nation HBCU institutions, and we can’t think of a better gift than that.

Always remember that our supporters is indeed very special to us, and we are forever grateful that we can always count on your support. So again, from all of us at HCF, the students, HBCUs, and MSIs who benefit from your support and advocacy in the fight, happy holidays!

Warmest regards this holiday season,

Demetrius Johnson, Jr.
Founder, President and CEO

Danubius University and UMES enters an international partnership for education, culture and academic research

Posted on by HCF Communications

Romanian university, UMES enter into academic, culture exchange agreement

A small, private university in eastern Romania and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore have signed an agreement to explore academic and cultural exchanges between the two institutions. Pictured: Dr. William B. Harvey and Dr. Heidi M. Anderson.

Danubius University and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore have signed a partnership agreement to explore academic and cultural exchanges between the two institutions.

Prof. univ. Dr. William B. Harvey, Rector of Danubius University visited UMES campus for the signing ceremony of the agreement with UMES President Dr. Heidi M. Anderson and representatives of the university’s leadership.

Professor Harvey said that “the partnership with UMES brings to the fore the growing concern of Danubius University to expand its educational and cultural collaborations around the world for the benefit of Danubian students and faculty.”

“One of the main goals of UMES is to have graduates who are culturally and internationally aware, so our partnership with Danubius University is a step in that direction. When you talk about learning about different cultures, not in your own country, but in other countries, this broadens your horizons. Such an opportunity also trains tomorrow’s leaders from both universities,” said Dr. Heidi M. Anderson, President of UMES.

The agreement signed between the two higher education institutions outlines an appropriate framework for establishing exchange programs for students and graduates, as well as for faculty and for collaboration in the field of scientific research which is a priority for Danubius University.

Dr. Moses Kario, dean of UMES’ School of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, represented UMES in Mid-September on a fact-finding trip to Galati, where he attended an international conference on the impact of COVID-19 as well as met with a leading agriculture science official.

Danubius University is located in Galati, a city about 286,000 on the Danube River. The university has roughly 3,000 students, and offers several bachelor’s degrees and master’s programs.

Harvey was named Danubius’s chief executive officer – or “rector,” in European higher education job terminology – in January and maintains an office in Washington, D.C. He has taught or served as an administrator at such institutions as the University of Virginia, Stoney Brook (N.Y.) University, North Carolina State and the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. He has emerged as a leading voice who has pushed the higher education sector to focus on cultural and social factors affecting underserved populations.

Among the possibilities UMES and Danubius will explore are joint degree programs, ways to collaborate on best practices in teaching, assessment and institutional management and sharing technology expertise.

###

Tennessee State President Dr. Glenda Glover Selected as Vice Chair of President Joe Biden’s Board of Advisors on HBCUs

Posted on by HCF Communications
Dr. Glenda Glover, President of Tennessee State University.

NASHVILLE, TN – Tennessee State University’s President Dr. Glenda Glover has been appointed by President Joe Biden to serve as Vice Chair of the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The Board will advance the goal of the HBCU Initiative, established by the Carter Administration, to increase the capacity of HBCUs to provide the highest-quality education to their students and continue serving as engines of opportunity.

The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to supporting the vital mission of HBCUs. Through the American Rescue Plan and by forgiving capital improvement debt of many of these institutions, the Biden-Harris Administration has already committed more than $4 billion in support. Reestablishing the White House HBCU Initiative – and placing strong leadership at the head of the Board – will allow the administration to build on the financial commitment with continued institutional support.

Dr. Glover serves as the eighth President of Tennessee State University, a position she has held since January 2013. Under her leadership as the university’s first female president, TSU has experience a significant increase in alumni and corporate giving, research funding, and academic offerings. The University has also received the Carnegie R2 “high research activity” designation with Dr. Glover at the helm. In 2020 during the pandemic, TSU set a school record with nearly $71 million in research funding.

Dr. Glover’s educational development began as a student at TSU, where she majored in mathematics. After graduating with honors with a Bachelors of Science degree, she pursued the Master of Business Administration from Clark Atlanta University. She then completed her doctorate in business from George Washington University, and later completed her law degree from Georgetown University. She is also a certified public accountant, and is one of only three African-American women to hold the Ph.D.-CPA-JD combination in the United States.

Her career also includes serving on boards of publicly traded corporations Pinnacle Financial Partners, The Lenox Group, Citigroup Student Loan Corporation, and First Guaranty Bancshares. Dr. Glover currently serves as a member of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority.

Earlier this year, Dr. Glover was named one of the ‘Ten Most Dominant HBCU Leaders’ by the HBCU Campaign Fund.

About Tennessee State University
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs and eight doctoral degrees. TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnvile, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. For more information, visit www.tnstate.edu.

###

3x the impact for higher education, support the HBCU Campaign Fund

Posted on by Demetrius Johnson Jr.

There’s still time for you to contribute to our Campaign For HBCUs Challenge and help us in reaching our fund goal of $50,000!

Your gift today will help ensure HCF can continue hitting the ground running in the New Year. We still have so much urgent advocacy and programming work to do if we going to help keep higher education evolving.

Please make your generous year-end gift today. Your gift will have triple the impact for higher education and have HCF to provide scholarship in the coming years.

Thank you for your compassion — now and always!

With appreciation,

Demetrius Johnson Jr.
Founder, President & CEO

CLICK HERE TO MAKE A DONATION

Bluefield State College Approved to Offer MBA Program, Beginning Spring 2022

Posted on by HCF Communications
Mahood Hall, home of the W. Paul Cole, Jr. School of Business at Bluefield State College. Photo courtesy of HCF’s Media Team.

BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Bluefield State College is celebrating another “first,” with the decision by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) to approve the College’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) program.

“Today’s decision by the Commission empowers Bluefield State College to launch the first graduate degree program in the College’s 126-year history,” said BSC President Robin Capehart. “By offering a graduate program, Bluefield State can now begin the process for pursuing university status.”

The College’s MBA program is designed for both business and non-business majors, and will be offered in an accelerated format with courses offered primarily through online delivery. Students can complete the 36-credit hour program in as little as 12 months.

“Building on Bluefield State College’s fully accredited undergraduate programs in the W. Paul Cole, Jr. School of Business, we are excited to expand into graduate education by offering a Master of Business Administration this spring to meet the educational needs of this region,” said Dr. Ted Lewis, BSC Provost. “By offering this program in a hybrid format, students will gain valuable seat time and opportunities for in-person interaction, engagement, and experiential learning as well as the ability to meet face to face with business leaders.”

The MBA program offered through BSC’s W. Paul Cole, Jr. School of Business will establish affordable and accessible graduate business education for residents of the region and beyond. Southern West Virginia employers surveyed by the Cole School of Business expressed strong support for the program. They saw the BSC MBA as a valuable way to help current employees strengthen their skills and business acumen, and facilitate the recruitment of new employees seeking to further their education while continuing to work.

“Bluefield State College is gratified and excited to announce we will be offering the MBA program through the W. Paul Cole, Jr. School of Business,” said Karen Grogan, the School’s Interim Dean. “The Master of Business Administration program will be offered, beginning in the Spring 2022 semester.”

The intent of the Cole School of Business is to seek program-specific accreditation of the MBA program at the earliest possible time. The undergraduate business program at BSC is already nationally accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.

About Bluefield State College
Bluefield State College, a historically black institution, is to prepare students for diverse professions, informed citizenship, community involvement, and public service in an ever-changing global society by providing an affordable, accessible opportunity for public higher education through certificate, associate, bachelor, and master degree programs. For more information, visit www.bluefieldstate.edu.

###

Mississippi Valley State Receives Historic Gift from an Anonymous Donor

Posted on by HCF Communications

ITTA BENA, MS – Mississippi Valley State University‘s (MVSU) President, Dr. Jerryl Briggs, Sr., has announced that MVSU has received the university’s largest single private gift in school history.

An anonymous donor has made a gift of $2.5 million to support the university’s Finish Line initiative, a scholarship program that assists students in their matriculation to graduation. The gift is the donor’s second to the university this year; the first gift was $250,000.

Mississippi Valley State University President, Dr. Jerryl Briggs.

“Words cannot fully describe how excited and appreciative we are at MVSU,” said Dr. Briggs. “This transformational gift will allow us to continue our commitment to ‘students first’ in pursuing academic achievements. Great things are happening at MVSU. This gift ensures that Valley stays in motion and further allows the university to remain committed to its motto, ‘live for service.’ In addition, this gift will enable students who need financial help, realize their fullest potential and continue their enrollment at the university.”

After receiving the first gift, the university created the Prosperity Scholarship to record the distribution of the funds. All funds from the second gift will be distributed similarly, with the sole purpose and use of fund being to support student scholarships.

The Finish Line Initiative will additionally be used to allow those students who did not receive any scholarship funding at the start of their enrollment at the university but are now excelling academically and actively involved in community activism to receive scholarship support.

“This expansion of the Prosperity Scholarship is for continuing students who have distinguished themselves through outstanding leadership qualities and academic excellence. The primary focus of the award is leadership, which may be demonstrated through traditional school activities, work responsibilities, community activism and involvement, and family commitments,” Briggs continued.

About MVSU
Mississippi Valley State University, as a Carnegie Classified Master’s University, provides comprehensive undergraduate and graduate programs in education, the arts and sciences, and professional studies. The University is driven by its commitment to excellence in teaching, learning, service, and research —- a commitment resulting in a learner-centered environment that prepares critical thinkers, exceptional communicators, and service-oriented, engaged, and productive citizens. MVSU is fundamentally committed to positively impacting the quality of life and creating extraordinary educational opportunities for the Mississippi Delta and beyond. For more information, visit www.mvsu.edu.

Probation Sanctions Removed for Wiley College

Posted on by HCF Communications
Fred T. Long Student Union on Wiley College’s campus. Photo courtesy of HCF’s Media Team.

MARSHALL, TX – The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) has notified Wiley College of its probation sanctions being removed.

Wiley College launched and achieved a strategic set of actions that led to increased fundraising and effective finance practices. As a result, SACSCOC found that Wiley College has met the criteria for accreditation and has significantly strengthened the college’s fiscal health.

By demonstrating its fiscal responsibility and stewardship, the college learned that there would be no monitoring or follow-up from the accrediting body until it applies for its recertification in 2023.

“Wiley College stand firmly on its 148+ year foundation and continues to demonstrate excellence despite this previous obstacle. The removal of probation sanctions signal that we are a community of educators who believe that Wiley College is significant to the higher education landscape and worked hard to secure our future. I am extremely proud of the Wiley College family, who has steadfast in their actions and communication. The campus community came together to secure Wiley’s future through their actions, despite being in a global pandemic,” said President Herman J. Felton, Jr., J.D., Ph.D.

Today, Wiley College continuously strives to achieve its bold and audacious vision through its mission as a premier liberal arts institution, affiliated with the United Methodist Church, with an intentional focus on social good and leadership.

About Wiley College
Wiley College, founded in 1873 in Marshall, Texas, is a historically black, primarily liberal arts, residential, co-educational, baccalaureate degree-granting institution affiliated with The United Methodist Church. Committed to the principle of educational access, the College serves traditional and non-traditional students from diverse background who have expressed a desire and potential for learning in a Christian environment. For more information, visit www.wileyc.edu.

###

ACCS Chancellor Baker Appoints Dr. Kemba Chambers as President of H. Councill Trenholm State Community College

Posted on by HCF Communications
Dr. Kemba Chambers, President of H. Councill Trenholm State Community College.

MONTGOMERY, AL – On Wednesday, Alabama Community College System Chancellor Jimmy H. Baker announced the appointment of Dr. Kemba Chambers as President of H. Councill Trenholm State Community College. Chambers is the first female to serve in this capacity at the college.

Chambers has 25 years of higher education experience and currently serves as Interim President at Trenholm. She previously served as Interim Associate Vice Chancellor of Teaching and Learning and Chief Instructional Officer at the Alabama Community College System, and Executive Vice President and Vice President of Instructional Services at Trenholm State. Chambers has served in various leadership roles at four of Alabama’s community colleges including serving as Interim President at Coastal Alabama Community College in Bay Minette and J.D. Drake State Community and Technical College in Huntsville. She also served at Calhoun Community College in Decatur and Chattahoochee Valley Community College in Phenix City.

“The future of Trenholm State is bright with Dr. Chambers at the helm,” Baker said. “Her familiarity with the college combined with her vision and commitment to creating opportunity for students and the greater community, makes her the ideal leader for Trenholm State.”

Chambers earned an Associate of Arts degree from Chattahoochee Valley Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Mathematics Education from Columbus State University. She earned a Master of Science in Secondary Mathematics Education from Troy University, an Educational Specialist in Educational Leadership from Troy University, and a Doctorate of Education in Higher Education Administration from Auburn University.

“Opportunities abound at Trenholm State and it’s an honor to serve as President at the college at such an exciting time,” said Chambers. “I look forward to working alongside not only our outstanding faculty, staff, and students at Trenholm but with community leaders across the River Region to continue to provide opportunities for a better future through education and workforce training.”

Dr. Chambers’ tenure as President at H. Councill Trenholm State Community College will begin on December 15, 2021.

About H. Councill Trenholm State Community College
H. Councill Trenholm State Community College is a comprehensive two-year community college located in Montgomery, Alabama. The College provides technical certificate and degree programs; adult learning opportunities; civic, social, cultural and personal development opportunities; business and industry training opportunities; and support of economic development for the central Alabama region. The College is part of the Alabama Community College System, a statewide system of postsecondary colleges governed by the Alabama Board of Education. For more information, visit www.trenholmstate.edu.