The HBCU Times Magazine is the nation's premiere publication focusing on the significant contributions of HBCUs and their distinguished alumni base.
2026 SUMMER ISSUE
FEATURING
DR.QUINTON T. ROSS,JR. ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT
PHILANTHROPY
the new age of Giving HBCU
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Post-doctoral Opportunity: Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training (ARRT) Program at the LU-RRTC on Research and Capacity Building for Minority Entities PROJECT OVERVIEW: The Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training (ARRT) Program at the Langston University (historically Black college/university [HBCU]) Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (LU-RRTC) on Research and Capacity Building represents a collaborative effort between the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts Boston ([ICI] Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving Institution [AANAPISI]), North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University ([NCA&T] HBCU), South Carolina State University ([SCSU] HBCU), Jackson State University ([JSU] HBCU), and the Kessler Foundation. The Project implements a Peer-to-Peer Multiple Mentor Model to help post-doctoral Fellows navigate institutional context and cross-fertilize their independent research project and research grant proposal through exchanges with a primary mentor and a scientific panel of mentors comprised of content experts, multicultural specialists, methodologists, and statisticians. The ARRT Program works in concert with the LU-RRTC drawing upon the center’s extensive minority-serving institution research capacity building expertise, collaborative networks, resources, and interventions (e.g., methodology and grant writing web-based trainings, communities of practice, strategic planning, sponsored programs office and institutional review board technical assistance and consultation), offers courses, webinars, and implements peer mentoring as an innovative strategy to holistically address the Fellows’ research skill building needs . INVITATION TO APPLY: We invite individuals who have earned a doctorate from a minority-serving institution (i.e., HBCU, Hispanic serving institution, Tribal college/- university, AANAPIAI) or predominantly White institution (PWI) and current doctoral candidates (must graduate before beginning fellowship) at minority-serving institutions or PWIs interested in employment research to apply to participate in the post-doctoral fellowship. Minority-serving institution based faculty members who have earned doctorates are also eligible to apply (i.e., 80% research supplements through subcontract for such faculty in residence at their employing minority-serving institution are optional). We strongly encourage individuals with disabilities to apply. We are particularly interested in recruiting candidates who have a strong desire to obtain an academic faculty position or research position at a minority-serving institution upon completion of the fellowship program. PARTICIPATION INCENTIVES: • Salary and benefits package- Annual salary with full health benefits • Peer-to-Peer multiple research mentorship opportunity with scientific panel mentors • Financial research agenda start-up package- i.e., study participant honorariums/fellow research travel • Peer reviewed publications • Present research findings at national and/or international rehabilitation related conferences CONTACT: If you have any questions regarding the Langston University Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training Program (LU-ARRT), please contact Dr. Corey L. Moore, Principal Investigator/Training Director at (405) 530-7531 or email: capacitybuildingrrtc@langston.edu.
Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (LU-RRTC) on Research and Capacity Building for Minority Entities The MISSION of the Langston University RRTC is to empower minority-serving institutions/minority entities (e.g., historically Black colleges/universities [HBCUs], Hispanic-serving institutions [HSIs], Tribal colleges/universities [TCUs], and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving Institution (ANNAPISIs]) to improve their disability and rehabilitation research capacity and infrastructure by conducting a programmatic line of research examining experiences and outcomes of persons with disabilities from traditionally underserved racial and ethnic populations and communities and capacity-building efforts. LU-RRTC TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE The LU-RRTC serves as a national resource center for minority-serving institutions/minority entities seeking to develop their research infrastructure (RI), and to enhance their capacity to engage in disability and rehabilitation research. To this end, the RRTC initiates dissemination, training and technical assistance (TA) activities to develop strong RIs for the conduct of research, preparation, submission, and management of NIDILRR funded research grant projects. TA services are provided as a part of LU-RRTC interventions for research project participants and to minority entities/minority-serving institutions around the country. The quality, intensity, and duration of TA vary by system and the readiness of TA recipients. Minority-serving Institution TA Areas- • Faculty Scholar Role & Function Balance Consultation (e.g., teaching/service/research balance) • Sponsored Programs Office Operations Consultation • Research Infrastructure Strategic Planning • Institutional Review Board (IRB) Operation Consultation • NIDILRR Research Proposal Development Mentorship • NIDILRR Research Project Management Consultation • Manuscript for Peer Reviewed Publication Development Mentorship • NIDILRR Request for Comment (RFC) or Request for Proposal (RFP) Interpretation Consultation • NIDILRR Expert Panel Application Development Consultation • Data Management and Analysis Software and Related Technology Support Consultation State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (SVRA) TA Areas- • SVRA Policy Consultation to Improve Outcomes for Persons from Traditionally Underserved Communities • SVRA Rehabilitation Practitioner Consultation or Training to Improve Outcomes for Persons from Traditionally Underserved Communities LU-RRTC PEER-TO-PEER MENTOR RESEARCH TEAM ACADEMY The LU-RRTC Peer-to-Peer Mentor Research Team Academy represents a collaborative effort between Langston University and the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston (AANAPISI), South Carolina State University (HBCU), Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services, Jackson State University (HBCU), Delaware Nation Vocational Rehabilitation Program, Cherokee Nation Vocational Rehabilitation Program, Kessler Foundation, and Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD). The Academy mentors Fellows to conduct research that addresses the rehabilitation needs of persons with disabilities from traditionally underserved racial and ethnic backgrounds and communities. Ultimately, the program builds Fellows’ scholarly self-efficacy and research skills by providing them with state-of-the-science knowledge of scientifically valid measurement strategies and methodologies, and direct hands-on experience in the conduct of research and grant proposal development. CONTACT: If you have any questions regarding the (LU-RRTC), please contact Dr. Corey L. Moore, Principal Investigator at (405) 530-7531 or email: capacitybuildingrrtc@langston.edu.
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EDITOR'S MESSAGE
One of our feature stories spotlights Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Jr. and Alabama State University’s rise through visionary leadership, community engagement, and purposeful investment. His journey reflects a broader transformation occurring across Black higher education. Equally inspiring is the story of Dr. Melva Wallace, president of Huston- Tillotson University, whose leadership is ushering in a new era for the institution. Under her guidance, Huston-Tillotson recently received a historic $150 million commitment from the Moody Foundation, the largest philanthropic gifts ever awarded to an HBCU. This issue also features exclusive insights from leading voices in higher education, including Dr. Harry Williams, President and CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, and Dr. Dwaun Warmack, President of Claflin University, alongside other stories shaping the future of HBCUs and advancing the national conversation on higher education. Together, these stories demonstrate how philanthropy and leadership are working hand in hand to strengthen institutions, expand access, and create new possibilities for future generations. As you explore this issue, we invite you to celebrate the power of generosity, visionary leadership, and unwavering confidence in the future of Black Colleges. The investments being made today are not simply gifts; they are affirmations of the enduring value, resilience, and promise of HBCUs.
DR. DAVID STATEN
The Summer 2026 issue of HBCU Times Magazine marks a pivotal moment for HBCUs. Across the nation, unprecedented philanthropic investments are transforming campuses, expanding opportunities, advancing research, and driving student success. For generations, HBCUs have produced leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, and public servants despite limited resources. Today, a new wave of giving is accelerating their impact and expanding what is possible. Historic
gifts, corporate partnerships, alumni support, and strategic investments are fueling sustainable growth and long- term excellence. As these investments reshape the HBCU landscape, strong leadership remains essential to turning opportunity into lasting progress. This issue highlights leaders who are guiding their institutions through a period of remarkable growth, innovation, and institutional transformation.
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FROM NINE
TO NOW
Born from the determination of nine freed visionaries, Alabama State University has risen from limited means to limitless impact—shaping leaders, fueling change, and defining excellence across generations. We were built by history makers, and we continue to create them.
www.alasu.edu
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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
ZERLINE HUGHES SPRUILL Zerline Hughes Spruill is a proud Howard University alumna, co-founder of The Capstone Crate and a writer who lives in Washington, D.C.
DR. QUINTON T. ROSS, JR. Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Jr. is the President of Alabama State University and a proud three-time alumnus of the institution.
NATASHA BRAME
DR. PHYLLIS WORTHY DAWKINS
Natasha Brame is the Assistant Program Director for SOAR @ Cheyney. She brings more than 25 years of experience in K–12 education, with a career focused on student success,
Dr. Phyllis Worthy Dawkins is the founding director of the Executive Leadership Institute (ELI) at Clark Atlanta University, which includes the Willa B. Player Executive Leaders Program (started in 2025), and is the 18th President of Bennett College.
family engagement, and educational leadership.
ERICA BLOUNT DANOIS
DR. JULIETTE B. BELL
Erica Blount Danois is an award-winning journalist, author, screenwriter, producer, and professor.
Dr. Juliette B. Bell is the ELI Willa B. Player Executive Leaders Program Coordinator and the 15th President of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
DR. HARRY L. WILLIAMS
MS. LALOHNI CAMPBELL
Dr. Harry L. Williams is the president & CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black college community.
Ms. Lalohni (LA) Campbell is the ELI Coordinator of Marketing and Communications and the Executive Director of Per/Se Media Group.
DR. JANELLE L. WEST
DR. JAMAL WATSON Dr. Jamal Watson is a higher education journalist. He is also a professor and Associate Dean of Graduate Studies at Trinity Washington University.
Dr. Janelle L. West is a distinguished leader in the domains of social justice, belonging, and higher education.
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what's inside
FEATURE ARTICLE
FEATURE ARTICLE
DR. QUINTON T. ROSS, JR. Leading with Purpose: Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Jr. and the Rise of Alabama State University 14
DR. MELVA WALLACE $150M, Largest-ever Single Donation to an HBCU Goes to Small, Proud Huston-Tillotson 34
The Leaders Who Built HBCUs Knew Talent When They Saw It. Do We?
How MacKenzie Scott's Historic Gifts Are Fueling a New Era for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund 10
42
Within the Walls of HBCUs (Op-Ed by Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Jr.)
A Decade of Dedication at UNCF Paves Way for Monique LeNoir
18
45
Rewriting the Donor Script: How MacKenzie Scott’s HBCU Giving Departs from Earlier Philanthropists
Carlton B. Jones Jr.: A Life Anchored in Purpose, Elevated by Service
20
48
If They Don’t Know, They Can’t Choose: How Cheyney University Is Building Pennsylvania’s Next HBCU Pipeline
24
50
Building an Empire in Plain Sight
$50 Million Bet on Black Excellence: Blank Foundation's Historic HBCU Investment Poised to Reshape Atlanta’s Future Building the Pipeline: How HBCUs Are Transforming Public Education from the Ground Up
28
52
The Case for Strategic Investment in HBCUs
$80M Infusion Propels VSU as Leader in Garnering Philanthropic Support
30
54
$33 Million in Federal Grant Funding Propels Langston University Rehabilitation Counseling Program into Nation’s Top 10
38
57
Fourteen 2026 HBCU Graduates to Watch
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credits
Editor and Co-CEO Co-CEO
Layout and Design Editor
Dr. David Staten Dr. Bridget Hollis Staten
Mia Draper
Alabama State University Cheyney University Claflin University The Executive Leadership Institute Huston-Tillotson University
Associate Editors
Amori Washington Octavia Robinson
Erica Blount Danois LaLohni (LA) Campbell Dr. Bridget Staten Dr. David Staten Dr. Marybeth Gasman Dr. Harry Williams Dr. Jamal Watson Dr. Janelle L. West Dr. Juliette B. Bell Natasha Brame Dr. Phyllis Worthy Dawkins
Langston University Morehouse College Rolondo Davis
Spelman College Stillman College Terrell Maxwell Trevian Artis Thurgood Marshall College Fund United Negro College Fund Virginia State University Additional photos provided by the authors and interviewees.
Dr. Quinton T. Ross Jr. Zerline Hughes Spruill
Dr. Antoinette Hollis Paula Lyles Estervina Rogers Roderick Rogers
Models
Terrance Tucker Nicholas E. Walters Siobahn Grady
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HBCU TIMES WINTER ISSUE 2026 | 9
SCALING THE MISSION How MacKenzie Scott's Historic Gifts Are Fueling a New Era for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund BY DR. JAMAL WATSON
When she returned in 2025 with an additional $70 million, bringing her total investment in the organization to $120 million over five years, the HBCU community understood that something foundational had shifted. Not just for TMCF, but for the students, campuses, and communities these institutions have long served. the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) in the fall of 2020 , the philanthropic world took note. Dr. Harry L. Williams, TMCF's president and CEO, does not use the word “transformational” lightly. But seated for a recent conversation with The HBCU Times about Scott's giving, he reaches for it without hesitation, and then immediately pushes past it. When MacKenzie Scott wired $50 million to
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“It creates long lasting sustainability,” Williams says. “And what I mean by that is, it leveraged those dollars to build on what we were already doing, and it helps us create more capacity. We have exponentially grown in a lot of different areas that we would not have been able to get into without those resources.” That growth, Williams explains, has been both wide and deep, stretching TMCF's reach from high school campuses in Alabama and Texas all the way to community colleges in the Virgin Islands, and from early talent identification programs to a data research enterprise that aims to make TMCF the definitive voice on HBCU outcomes. One of the clearest indicators of TMCF's expansion under Scott's support is the growth of its membership. The organization, which represents the nation's public HBCUs and Historically Black Community Colleges (HBCCs), has grown from 47 to 57 member institutions, a 21 percent increase that Williams attributes directly to the organization's new capacity for
programming and engagement. “We’ve done more activations than we’ve ever done,” Williams says, referring to what TMCF calls “place- based training activities,” intensive workforce development programs delivered directly on member campuses. Most recently, Williams traveled to San Antonio, Texas, where TMCF completed a placement activity at St. Philip's College, an HBCC that serves more than 20,000 students and stands as the largest historically Black community college in the United States. Perhaps the most visible expression of TMCF's expanded reach is the SOAR program, Seeking Opportunities and Achieving Results, a precollege initiative designed specifically for high school juniors. “We catch them in the summer,” Williams explains. “We track them from the junior year to the senior year, helping them with the applications, helping them with scholarships, and hoping that they feed into our schools. We wouldn’t have been able to do
those programs if we didn’t have a gift like MacKenzie Scott’s.” Beyond SOAR, Scott's support has also enabled TMCF to launch DevCom, early talent identification convening events that bring together 500 to 600 HBCU freshmen and sophomores, fully
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" It creates long lasting sustainability. And what I mean by that is it leveraged those dollars to build on what we were already doing, and it helps us create more capacity. We have exponentially grown in a lot of different areas that we would not have been able to get into without those resources.” - DR. HARRY L. WILLIAMS
report loving their time at their institutions and valuing the education they received. The Payne Center’s ambitions extend well beyond alumni outcomes data. In a landmark new report, “Stewarding the Legacy: A National Strategy for Building Resilient HBCU Presidential Leadership,” the center has produced what researchers describe as the most comprehensive study of HBCU presidential leadership in nearly 30 years. As encouraging as TMCF’s recent trajectory has been, Williams is clear that the need has not diminished, it has evolved. The organization’s most
urgent new priority is preparing HBCU campuses for the age of artificial intelligence. Williams marks his eighth year at TMCF this year, a tenure that has included a global pandemic, landmark philanthropic gifts, an explosion of corporate interest in HBCU partnerships, and now the uncertain terrain of federal policy shifts and AI disruption. “It’s a very exciting time, very engaging time,” he says. “But sustainability has been our key. We have a bold and audacious goal of making sure that we impact all 300,000 students in our network.”
sponsored, for career and professional development experiences in major cities across the country. One of the more understated dimensions of TMCF’s expansion is its growing investment in research. TMCF’s research arm, led by Dr. M.C. Brown II, has just completed what may be the largest alumni survey in HBCU history: a study of 500,000 HBCU graduates conducted in partnership with Gallup and the HBCU Transformation Project. The early findings confirm what HBCU advocates have long argued anecdotally: the overwhelming majority of graduates
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IT’S MORE THAN A DONATION. IT’S A TRANSFORMATION. Your donation makes dreams possible through scholarships, professional development and career placement.
THE THURGOOD MARSHALL COLLEGE FUND IS AMERICA’S LARGEST ORGANIZATION THAT EXCLUSIVELY REPRESENTS THE BLACK COLLEGE COMMUNITY. We put bright minds to work by giving HBCU students an equal chance.
Young people have enough obstacles in life. Money for college shouldn’t be one of them. Your donations transform lives by building bridges to opportunity. Every dollar ensures that we can continue to offer students a comprehensive pathway from high school to career—with an impressive graduation rate of 85-90%. Let’s create opportunities together. To donate, visit tmcf.org today.
Connect with us: tmcf.org
FEATURE ARTICLE
LEADING WITH PURPOSE Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Jr. and the Rise of Alabama State University BY DR. JAMAL WATSON
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There is something deeply personal about leading the institution where your parents first met and where your family’s story began. For Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Jr., the 15th president of Alabama State University, the job was never simply an appointment. It was, in many ways, a homecoming that was decades in the making.
Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Jr. was born in Mobile, Alabama, to parents who met as students at Alabama State University and were later recruited to teach in Pontiac, Michigan, where he was raised. He returned to Montgomery to earn three degrees from ASU — a Bachelor of Science in Political Science, a Master of Education in Secondary Education English, and a Doctorate of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Law. That arc — from the son of two ASU alumni to the university's chief executive — is not lost on him, nor on the campus community that has watched him shepherd the institution through one of the most consequential stretches in its 158-year history. Since his tenure began on October 3, 2017, Dr. Ross has served as the driving force behind bold new initiatives and partnerships under his guiding mantra of “Moving ASU 150 years forward.” It is a phrase that sounds aspirational in press releases but has been borne out in measurable, sometimes dramatic ways through financial stabilization, infrastructure investment, rising enrollment and retention, and most recently, a philanthropic milestone that reverberated far beyond Montgomery.
to its most pressing needs while also investing in long-range priorities. For us, it meant the ability to strengthen scholarships, support academic excellence, modernize infrastructure, improve student services, and build financial sustainability.” He added that the gift sent a message that extended beyond the balance sheet. "More importantly, it sent a message to our students, alumni, and community that Alabama State University is worthy of major investment and national confidence.” The university's plan for deploying those resources reflects the disciplined stewardship that has become a hallmark of Dr. Ross’s tenure. Portions of the gift have been directed toward student scholarships and emergency support to reduce the financial barriers that interrupt persistence and completion. Academic innovation, including technology enhancements, faculty support, and program modernization, has been another priority. And perhaps most importantly for long-
In October 2025, MacKenzie Scott gifted Alabama State University $38 million. It was the largest single donation in the HBCU's history. The announcement landed just days after the Hornets had routed rival Alabama A&M in the Magic City Classic, making it a week that Dr. Ross himself described as historic on multiple fronts. “Today marks a defining moment in the history of Alabama State University,” Dr. Ross wrote in his public statement at the time. “I am filled with immense gratitude and proud to announce that Alabama State University has received the largest single donation in its 158- year history.” For Dr. Ross, the gift was significant not only in dollar terms but in what it represented symbolically. This was an unrestricted, trust-based investment in an institution that has historically had to do more with less. “What made the investment especially meaningful was that it was unrestricted,” Dr. Ross explained. “That level of trust allows an institution to respond strategically
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term institutional health, ASU is using a portion of the funds to grow its endowment. “We are using this moment not simply to solve short-term issues,” Dr. Ross said, “but to build a stronger institution for decades ahead.” FROM THE SENATE CHAMBER TO THE PRESIDENT'S OFFICE The road to university leadership ran, somewhat unusually, through the Alabama State Legislature. Prior to becoming president of his alma mater, Dr. Ross had begun his fourth term in the Alabama State Senate after having been elected to his first term in 2002. In 2015, he was elected as the first African American male Senate Minority Leader and the first Minority Leader elected to a four-year term. That legislative background — understanding how power works, how policy gets made, and how to build coalitions across competing interests — has proven to be an unconventional but potent preparation for the HBCU presidency. Dr. Ross arrived at ASU at a moment when the institution was navigating significant fiscal headwinds. Since assuming office, he spearheaded a remarkable institutional turnaround, focusing on fiscal stability and debt reduction, which resulted in a significant financial transformation and restored confidence in the university's operations. The numbers tell the story. Fundraising at ASU increased by nearly 130 percent during the first two years of his administration, with more than $7.6 million raised over a two-year period through corporate and individual donations as well as increased legislative appropriations. More recently, Alabama State University experienced a 205 percent total giving increase. Under his leadership, ASU has witnessed over $20 million in comprehensive infrastructure enhancements, including vital campus- wide modernization efforts and strategic security upgrades. Dr. Ross’s strategic initiatives have propelled ASU to unprecedented heights, exemplified by its reaffirmation
" Every philanthropic investment in an HBCU strengthens not only an institution, but the communities and industries its graduates go on to serve.This is not simply philanthropy, it is nation-building. "
- DR. QUINTON T. ROSS, JR.
by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges through 2030. His peers in the HBCU community have taken note of both his longevity and his impact. “Dr. Ross has defied the modern trend of shortened presidential tenures at an HBCU, and Alabama State University is all the better because of it,” said Dr. Harry L. Williams, president and CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. “He's improved the university in transformative ways, focusing on fiscal stability and academic excellence. Through his work with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund as a board member and through numerous service appointments at every level, Dr. Ross is a steadfast advocate for the Black college community.”
appointed to state and national boards and councils, including the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities Board of Advisors, the HBCU Capital Financing Advisory Board, and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Board of Directors. He has also served as Chairman of the Southwestern Athletic Conference commission and was honored with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund’s 2023 Educator of the Year award. For Dr. Ross, philanthropy is not a department or a campaign cycle. It is a culture that must be cultivated deliberately and sustained across every constituency connected to the institution. “We begin by recognizing that engagement precedes philanthropy,” he said matter-of-factly. “People support institutions where they feel connected, valued, and inspired.”
The recognition has come from Washington as well. Dr. Ross has been
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“When Alabama State University grows stronger, Montgomery grows stronger,” he said. “Our success is inseparable from the success of the community we proudly call home.” Looking forward, Dr. Ross’s ambitions are expansive but grounded. He envisions ASU increasing enrollment, strengthening retention and graduation
outcomes, expanding graduate and professional programs, and
significantly growing its endowment. He is particularly energized by emerging initiatives in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, healthcare workforce development, entrepreneurship, and digital learning. “Innovation at ASU is not about trends,” he said. “It is about relevance, access, and long-term competitiveness.” What distinguishes Dr. Ross's tenure is not any single initiative or gift announcement, but the compounding effect of sustained, patient institution- building in a sector that too often experiences leadership turnover before the work can take root. The $38 million from MacKenzie Scott did not arrive in a vacuum. It arrived because ASU, under Dr. Ross’s stewardship, demonstrated the kind of institutional credibility that invites transformational investment.
That philosophy has shaped ASU's approach to alumni relations, corporate engagement, and community partnership. Alumni are connected through regional events, mentorship opportunities, volunteer leadership roles, and recognition of their accomplishments. Corporate partners are engaged around workforce alignment. Dr. Ross is also clear-eyed about the structural challenges HBCUs face in building philanthropic cultures. Many of these institutions, he noted, have historically delivered outsized outcomes while operating with inequitable levels of funding. “Every philanthropic investment in an HBCU strengthens not only an institution, but the communities and industries its graduates go on to serve,” he said. “This is not simply philanthropy, it is nation-building.”
Any serious accounting of Dr. Ross's vision for ASU must account for geography. Montgomery is not just a backdrop. It is, as he frequently reminds audiences, the historic civil rights capital of America. It is a city where the bus boycott was born, where the Voting Rights Act was forged in marches across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, and where Alabama State University has educated generations of Black Alabamians since 1867. For Dr. Ross, that location is both a responsibility and a platform. ASU graduates serve as teachers in local schools, nurses and healthcare professionals in hospitals, entrepreneurs
“My vision is for Alabama State University to emerge as one of the most respected and innovative urban HBCUs in America,” Dr. Ross said. “Most importantly, I see our students thriving — graduating with confidence, competence, and the capacity to shape the future.”
launching businesses, and public servants leading agencies across
the state. Alabama State University functions as an economic anchor, generating jobs, purchasing power, and cultural programming that enhances quality of life throughout the Montgomery region.
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Within the WALLS OF HBCU s
BY DR. QUINTON T. ROSS, JR.
new and has been featured in printed publications as early as the 1960s. With regard to historically Black colleges and universities, Killen (1969) called for a “Communiversity” that would shape Black communities and would serve as bridges to educate people of color from the cradle to the grave. Today, as a global institution, we affirm that the university does not exist apart from the community but with it, for it, and because of it. Within the walls of HBCUs, education has never been transactional. It has always been transformational. CommUniversity makes that truth visible, accountable, and sustainable. As the 15th President of Alabama State University, I have witnessed firsthand what happens when academic excellence and community engagement are not parallel pursuits but deeply intertwined. CommUniversity positions the university as a living partner, one that listens just as much as it leads. It calls on faculty to connect teaching and research to real-world challenges, on students to see themselves as civic scholars, and on institutions to leverage
HBCUs were born out of necessity during a time when opportunity was denied, yet they evolved into institutions that did far more than educate—we uplifted communities, cultivated leaders, and anchored hope. Today, as HBCUs face a rapidly changing social, economic, and educational landscape, our mission must be both rooted in history and bold in imagination. Within the walls of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), something sacred has always lived. It is not confined to brick, mortar, or campus gates. It is a spirit of access, advocacy, excellence, and unapologetic service to society.
At Alabama State University, we have chosen to imagine boldly. I often tell my Leadership Team, "We've got to go to know" and one of my assistant vice presidents adds “and grow” to that philosophy. We must engage directly with our community to truly understand its needs. The Alabama State University Focus 2030 Strategic Plan is a forward- looking framework designed to position the university as a leader in teaching, research, and service providing lasting community impact. Not only is the institution focused and anchored in academic excellence and student success, central to this plan is the idea that ASU is not only an academic institution but also a community builder, committed to developing students as global change agents while creating meaningful societal impact. One of the key anchors of our strategic plan is CommUniversity. It is not a slogan. It is a philosophy, a framework, and a call to action. The term is not
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CommUniversity challenges us to ask critical questions: • What does community engagement look like in an era
institutions is fragile and the need for credible, compassionate leadership is urgent. To my colleagues across the HBCU landscape: this is our moment to lead with confidence and clarity. Our institutions are no longer asking for validation; we are demonstrating value. By formalizing and scaling what we have always done intuitively, we can influence national policy, reshape accreditation conversations, and redefine excellence in higher education. The Carnegie Community Engagement recognition is not a finish line; it is a mirror reflecting our responsibility. It challenges us to deepen our commitments, document our outcomes, and ensure sustainability beyond leadership transitions. Most importantly, it reminds us that community engagement is dynamic. It evolves with the needs of the people we serve. Within the walls of HBCUs live stories of resilience, brilliance, and collective uplift. CommUniversity asks us to open those walls wider, not to dilute our mission, but to amplify it. When universities and communities rise together, the result is not charity; it is shared power. At Alabama State University, we are committed to that work. And as HBCUs, united by purpose and propelled by possibility, we are well positioned to teach the nation what it truly means to serve, to lead, and to belong. The future of higher education will be shaped by institutions that understand this truth: education matters most when it belongs to the people.
of economic inequality and technological disruption? How do we ensure our students graduate not only career-ready, but citizenship-ready? How do our universities serve as engines of economic development without abandoning our moral compass?
their intellectual, cultural, and economic capital for the public good.
•
This approach is not new to HBCUs, but it is newly recognized.
•
Recently, Alabama State University was honored with a prestigious national acknowledgment as a Carnegie-designated Community Engagement Institution, a recognition reserved for universities that demonstrate deep, intentional, and measurable collaboration with their communities. This designation affirms what our alumni and neighbors have long known: ASU’s impact extends far beyond campus boundaries. It validates the labor of our faculty, staff, students, and community partners who believe that knowledge gains power when it is shared. Yet, this moment is about more than one university. It is a moment for the broader HBCU community. HBCUs are uniquely equipped to model what higher education must become. We know how to teach first- generation students not only to succeed academically but to lead ethically. We know how to conduct scholarship that honors lived experience. We know how to train students to conduct groundbreaking research. We know how to educate the whole person: mind, body, and spirit. And we know how to stand with communities during moments of crisis, transition, and growth.
At ASU, we have answered these questions with action through
partnerships in education, healthcare, workforce development, civic leadership, and cultural preservation. Our students learn by doing, our faculty research with purpose, and our community partners help shape the work from inception to impact. This is reciprocal engagement, not performative outreach. Within the walls of HBCUs, we must resist the temptation to measure success solely by enrollment numbers or endowments. Success must also be measured by lives improved, neighborhoods stabilized, policies influenced, and futures expanded. Community engagement is not ancillary to our mission; it is central to our legitimacy. This is why CommUniversity is as much about identity as it is about strategy. It reinforces who we are at our core: institutions created to democratize knowledge and dismantle barriers. It invites us to reimagine the relationship between higher education and society, especially at a time when trust in
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REWRITING THE DONOR SCRIPT: How MacKenzie Scott’s HBCU Giving Departs from Earlier Philanthropists BY DR. MARYBETH GASMAN
MacKenzie Scott’s billion-dollar commitment to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) marks one of
earlier benefactors such as John D. Rockefeller and other industrial philanthropists, whose giving often came with many conditions and tight oversight. Scott’s 2025/2026 awards bring her total giving to HBCUs to more than $1.3 billion. This most recent round includes $783 million for 16 campuses and builds on her 2020 gifts to 23 HBCUs, totaling $560 million. She has also given $80 million to the United Negro College Fund, which supports 37 private HBCUs, and $120,000 to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, which works with public HBCUs and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs). The scale of this giving is noteworthy, but the structure matters just as much.
the most significant infusions of private
money into the sector’s history.
It also represents a sharp break from the philanthropic traditions that once shaped support for Black higher education. Scott’s gifts are large and rooted in trust, a notable shift from
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2020 - 2026 MAJOR PHILANTHROPIC INVESTMENTS IN HBCU s
As with her earlier awards, the 2025/2026 gifts come without
HBCU
2026 2025 2023 2020
restrictions. Leaders at each institution determine how to allocate the funds, whether for scholarships, staffing, academic programs, technology, facilities, or endowment growth. This flexibility has allowed campus leaders to address long-standing needs and invest in future priorities. Her giving arrives as HBCUs face both renewed attention and heightened political scrutiny, especially from Republican governors and legislatures. In this environment, Scott’s model shifts decision-making power back to institutional leaders. Scott has been open about her philosophy of giving. On her Medium blog, she writes that she wants her gifts to come “with full trust and no strings attached,” grounded in the belief that those closest to inequity are best equipped to design solutions. She also notes that she and her research team look for organizations with strong leadership, deep community ties, and the capacity for lasting impact. Her approach, rooted in respect for institutional expertise, stands out in the current political landscape. This commitment to autonomy departs sharply from the philanthropic model that shaped Black higher education in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Rockefeller and other northern industrial philanthropists kept many Black colleges afloat, but their support came with clear boundaries. They often dictated institutional priorities, curricula, and leadership. Their vision favored conservative educational models built around industrial training and moral discipline, leaving limited room for broad intellectual exploration or academic freedom. Historian James D. Anderson, in his now-classic book, "The Education of Blacks in the South," reminds us that these philanthropists viewed Black education through a paternalistic lens, prioritizing social order and workforce preparation over more ambitious goals for Black advancement. This influence persisted for decades, narrowing the scope of what Black institutions could become.
Alabama State University N/A $38 mil
N/A N/A
Alcorn State University
N/A $42 mil
N/A $25 mil
Bowie State University
N/A $50 mil
N/A $25 mil
Clark Atlanta University Howard University & Medical School Morgan State University Norfolk State University North Carolina A&T State University
N/A $38 mil
N/A $15 mil
N/A $80 mil $12 mil $40 mil
N/A $63 mil
N/A $40 mil
N/A $50 mil
N/A $40 mil
N/A $63 mil
N/A $45 mil
Prairie View A&M University Spelman College
N/A $63 mil
N/A $50 mil
N/A $38 mil
N/A $20 mil
University of Maryland Eastern Shore Virginia State University Voorhees University Winston-Salem State University
N/A $38 mil
N/A $20 mil
N/A $50 mil
N/A $30 mil
N/A $19 mil
N/A $4 mil
N/A $50 mil
N/A $30 mil
Philander Smith N/A N/A Delaware State University N/A N/A N/A $20 mil Dillard University N/A N/A N/A $5 mil Elizabeth City State University $41 mil N/A N/A $15 mil Hampton University N/A N/A N/A $30 mil Lincoln University (PA) N/A N/A N/A $20 mil Morehouse College N/A N/A N/A $20 mil Tougaloo College N/A N/A N/A $6 mil Tuskegee University N/A N/A N/A $20 mil Xavier University of Louisiana N/A N/A N/A $20 mil Claflin University N/A N/A N/A $20 mil N/A $19 mil
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Scott’s giving reverses nearly every assumption embedded in that earlier tradition. Her team does not direct how funds should be used or impose layers of oversight. Instead, they defer to institutional leaders and trust their judgment. She seeks out people who “have experience with inequities,” and her model reflects partnership rather than control. Although Scott does not publish a formula for selecting campuses, the institutions chosen for her HBCU gifts share several characteristics that reflect the values outlined in her Medium blog. Her team seeks campuses with steady leadership, a proven track record of serving students well, and the ability to leverage substantial investments into sustained long-term stability. These qualities do not always appear in headline metrics alone, but they tend to manifest consistently across funded institutions. Most of the HBCUs receiving her support have stable executive leadership, often with presidents who have strengthened governance structures, expanded fundraising, or improved campus culture. Scott’s giving emphasizes trust, and stable leadership signals the ability to manage a significant unrestricted gift with a clear sense of institutional priorities.
Many of the selected campuses also show steady or improving retention and graduation trends, even when working with students who arrive with uneven preparation due to systemic inequities in K–12 schooling. Scott has noted that she looks for organizations with “a track record of impact,” and for HBCUs, this often includes campuses that have closed equity gaps, increased retention for first-generation students, or strengthened wraparound supports. Accreditation matters as well. The HBCUs receiving her gifts are fully accredited institutions that have maintained strong accreditation reviews, including progress on financial management and academic quality. In an environment where many HBCUs face pressure from state politics, tightening budgets, or shifts in enrollment, solid accreditation signals institutional resilience. Finally, Scott’s team often favors campuses that are tied to local needs and regional economies. These institutions are renowned for producing teachers, nurses, public servants, and leaders who remain committed to their communities. In that sense, Scott’s giving acknowledges both present stability and long-term impact.
This cluster of characteristics does not function as a checklist. Still, together they reflect Scott’s broader philosophy: investing in HBCUs that have demonstrated strength, even amid underfunding, and that have the leadership and infrastructure to scale their impact without donor-imposed direction. Large, unrestricted gifts of this scale offer immediate relief to campuses that have spent decades stretching limited budgets. They also challenge long-standing assumptions about which institutions deserve transformative investment. Scott’s approach frames HBCUs as competent stewards of primary philanthropic resources. Her model also sets a different tone for donor participation. She rarely seeks public recognition beyond the initial announcement and does not attach naming rights, ceremonies, or donor- designed programs to her contributions. The focus stays on institutional priorities rather than donor visibility. Scott's billion-dollar commitment underscores the central role of HBCUs in expanding opportunity and offers a new guide for philanthropic partnerships. It demonstrates that deep investment in HBCUs can occur without strings, surveillance, or donor- driven agendas.
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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE HBCU CLASS OF 2026
NICHOLAS E. WALTERS SC State University May 2026 Graduate
Building an Empire IN PLAIN SIGHT BY DR. JAMAL WATSON
When Dr. Dwaun J. Warmack arrived at Claflin University in August 2019 as the institution's ninth president, he inherited a beloved but financially modest HBCU nestled in the heart of Orangeburg, South Carolina, a school celebrated for its rich 150-year legacy but still working to expand its footprint. The endowment stood at roughly $26.7 million. Total assets hovered near $107 million. The institution's Composite Financial Index, the metric most closely watched by accreditors and bond to mean it. And when you stack the evidence alongside the declaration, it is difficult to argue otherwise. "God has been faithful," he says, more than once, in the unhurried cadence of a man who has learned
investors to gauge institutional health, sat at negative one.
arrived at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when tuition revenue had contracted, corporate donors had grown skittish, and the financial foundations of small private institutions were being tested in ways not seen in generations. More importantly, it came without the conditions that have long made philanthropic relationships with HBCUs quietly exhausting. philanthropy," Warmack says. "She gave the way philanthropy, I believe, should be given and has been given to majority institutions for a long time. Too often, HBCUs are victims of predatory philanthropy. You get a $10,000 gift, but they expect monthly reports. You don't have a large grants staff, so you end up spending more time reporting on the gift than you do deploying it." Scott's gift, he says, was simply: here is the money, use it where it's needed most. "I think MacKenzie Scott fundamentally transformed
Five years later, the transformation is staggering.
The endowment has climbed to $82 million, more than tripling in half a decade and eclipsing what the institution had accumulated across a century and a half of existence. Total assets now exceed $280 million, a 107 percent increase. The CFI has rocketed to 12.45, a figure that places Claflin in rarefied company. For context, Yale's CFI sits at roughly 11.4. Any honest accounting of Claflin's financial ascent must begin with MacKenzie Scott. In December 2020, Scott made an unrestricted $20 million gift to the university, part of her historic wave of transformative giving to HBCUs and minority-serving institutions across the country.
For Warmack, the significance of that gift went beyond the dollar figure. It
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other, funded in part through a $3.5 million Health Resources and Services Administration grant. Also underway is a nearly $10 million renovation of the historic Kress Building in downtown Orangeburg, a structure so emblematic of racial exclusion that Congressman Clyburn was once arrested there for staging a sit-in at a lunch counter. Claflin is converting it into a minority women-owned business accelerator and entrepreneurial hub, a building that once barred Black citizens now positioned as a launchpad for Black enterprise. Altogether, Claflin has launched more than $100 million in construction projects in the past two years while carrying little to no debt. Among the most striking statistics in Claflin's financial profile is one that Warmack himself is quick to attribute to the institution's culture rather than his own leadership: an alumni giving rate that has averaged between 38 and 47 percent over the past two decades, compared to a national average of roughly 8 percent. Claflin engages students in the ethic of giving from the moment they arrive. Through a pre-alumni council, freshmen are introduced to the concepts of philanthropy and civic engagement before they ever receive a diploma. Every student must complete 120 community service hours before graduating, 30 per year, and is asked to make a financial gift to the institution before leaving campus. "We tell them: you can give back with your time and your talents, but you also have to give your treasure," Warmack says. "We want to get them into a culture of giving." The model, he noted, is rooted in something older than any strategic plan, the institution's deep ties to its alumni base of educators and ministers, many of whom continue to give out of their pensions. Warmack's ambitions extend beyond Claflin's gates. One of the initiatives gaining the most attention in HBCU
"It allowed us to sustain operations and invest in long-term institutional sustainability," he says. "It couldn't have come at a more perfect time." Since then, Claflin has secured more than $110.4 million in external funding during the Warmack era alone, a portfolio that includes a $20 million U.S. Department of Energy grant, $17.4 million from the U.S. Department of Commerce and the National Institute of Standards and Technology for a new science and technology center, $10 million from an anonymous donor for endowed scholarships, a $5 million investment from Google to expand STEM pathways, a $5 million commitment from Sodexo Group, and $17.4 million secured through Congress by U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn. "We've had quite a few seven-figure gifts that have followed in that spirit," Warmack says. "And we're thankful for what MacKenzie Scott's contribution represents, not just for Claflin, but for the transformation of philanthropy writ large."
Walk across the Claflin campus today and the transformation is visible in steel and glass and poured concrete. In March 2024, the university opened a new $44 million, 80,000-square-foot student center, Warmack's first major capital project, which started during the uncertainty of the pandemic. The center, which Warmack describes as the university's new "living room," features the only movie theater in Orangeburg and the only multipurpose ballroom in the city with seating for 800 or more guests. Two weeks before our conversation, Claflin broke ground on a new biotech innovation center, a state-of-the-art facility that will house programs in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, big data analytics, biotechnology, and robotics. The entire capital campaign for that facility has already been completed. Within weeks of that groundbreaking, the university is set to break ground on a new public health complex, a nursing building on one side, social science and psychology facilities on the
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