Advancing Corporate and HBCU Collaborations

Expanding Reach and Sustaining Engagement

For over 183 years, Historically Black Colleges and Universities have contributed substantially to the Black community, the Black middle class and the country as a whole.  However, they continue to be underfunded, under resourced and undervalued.  It’s time to change that.  It’s never been an issue of quality.  It’s an issue of funding and sustainable support.   Now is the time to elevate HBCUs to their rightful place.  HBCUs contribute approximately $15 billion annually in GDP and generate approximately 135,000 jobs for their local and regional economies.

To survive and thrive for future generations, HBCUs need sustainable solutions. In addition to more equitable federal and state funding, they need the support and collaborations with Corporate America. Working together, we can succeed in preserving the value these institutions bring not only to Black Americans, but to the economy, our culture, and our society as a whole.

  • HBCUs disproportionately enroll low-income, first-generation and academically under resourced college students –precisely the students that the country most needs to obtain college degrees.
  • HBCU’s account for only 3% of four-year nonprofit colleges. Yet, they are responsible for 22% of bachelor degrees attained by African Americans.
  • Endowment Gap: The Smallest Ivy League School has an endowment of $2.9B vs ALL 101 HBCUs combined have an endowment of $2.7B

“My daughters are all required to acquire their first degree from an HBCU. It is a requirement because HBCUs provide a solid foundation and maybe the only time in their professional career where they will not need an affinity group.”

– Ingrid Jones

Pfizer Fellow
CEO Action for Racial Equity

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