WASHINGTON, DC (July 30th, 2025) — During the UNITE 2025 Summit, UNCF recognized HBCU leaders and institutions driving excellence on the campuses of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The UNITE Summit is the nation’s premier gathering advancing the mission, vision and long-term impact of HBCUs and other mission-aligned institutions. 

The Summit’s highest honor – the HBCU Champion Award – was given to Dr. Henry Tisdale, who served as the 8^th president of Claflin University between 1994 and 2019. Under Dr. Tisdale’s leadership, Claflin established South Carolina’s first undergraduate biotechnology program, dramatically increased its endowment, expanded its infrastructure, and consistently ranked among the top HBCUs in the country. 

“When UNCF sought out examples of enduring excellence, we looked to Henry. When the sector needed a steady voice, Dr. Tisdale always showed up,” stated Dr. Michael L. Lomax, president and CEO, UNCF. “We recognize him not just for what he has done,but for how he’s done it: with grace, with integrity, and with an unwavering commitment to HBCU students, HBCU faculty, and HBCUs as institutions.” 

Institutional Awards 

The summit also distributed six institutional awards to colleges and universities driving transformation for their campuses and the HBCU sector. 

The Institutional Excellence Award recognizes an HBCU that is operating at the highest levels –driving impact, cultivating innovation, and delivering outcomes that change lives and communities. This year’s Institutional Excellence Award celebrated the efforts of Claflin University, whose visionary leadership, bold initiatives and committed teams of administrators, faculty, staff, students and alumni are driving transformation across campus. Claflin President Dr. Duwan Warmack has been recognized nationally – with the NASPA President’s Award and his selection as The Times and Democrat’s 2024 Person of the Year Award. 

The HBCU Futurist Award, sponsored by Unicon, recognizes an institution that has not just embraced technology and Innovation, but redefined it, putting new tools, systems, and partnerships to work for student success, equity, and scale. This year’s recipient was Morgan State University. In the past three years, Morgan State set a record with 26 U.S. patents awarded, including 13 in 2023: the highest number ever achieved by an HBCU in a single year. 

The Faculty Torchbearer Award, sponsored by Acadeum, celebrates an institution that prioritizes faculty innovation, pedagogical excellence, and transformative curriculum design. This year’s honoree, Howard University, recently established the Office of Academic Innovation & Strategic Initiatives, which partners with faculty to design new academic programs, secure innovation funding, and launch transformative online and interdisciplinary coursework.  

The Turnaround Strategist Award, sponsored by Deloitte, honors an institution that has not just rebounded, but rebuilt with purpose, precision, and power. This year’s awardee was Morris Brown College. Once on the brink of closure, Morris Brown has risen again with a fierce strategic vision known as “The Hard Reset,” leading the institution to regain its accreditation after a 20-year gap. 

The Student Champion Award, sponsored by Ellucian, celebrates an institution that places students at the center of everything, from strategic plans to support systems. This year’s awardee Winston-Salem State University recently posted one of the highest student success gains in the University of North Carolina System, with double-digit increases in persistence and completion. 

The Community Catalyst Award, sponsored by Sallie Mae, honors an institution that is deeply embedded in its community, powering civic engagement, health, and social prosperity. This year’s honoree Tuskegee University was celebrated for existing and new initiatives, including the launch of the Save Our Students campaign to close unmet financial gaps. 

Change Agent Awards 

The Summit also issued Change Agent Awards to three individuals whose influential, relational, visionary, flexible, knowledgeable, and systematic leadership builds community and drives transformation throughout their institutions. 

Tanisha Lewis, Director of Institutional Research and Effectiveness at Oakwood University was recognized as a powerhouse of strategy, systems, thinking, and service. 

Dr. John Bannister, Director of the Center of Innovative Teaching and Learning at Johnson C. Smith University was acknowledged for his pursuit of innovations that are reshaping how teaching and learning happen across campus. 

Dr. Teresa Hardee, Interim President of Bennett College was celebrated for her transformative leadership while serving as Executive Vice President and COO at Claflin University. 

This year’s UNITE Summit achieved record breaking attendance and programming, and featured presentations and discussions from a wide range of leaders including Pearl Cleage (award-winning playwright), John Hope Bryant (Operation HOPE), Judy Richardson (SNCC Legacy Project), Patrick Methvin (Gates Foundation), Phill Gross (Adage Capital Management), Michael Ellison (Code Path), Kwame Owusu-Kesse (Harlem Children’s Zone), Stephanie Khurana (Axim Collaborative), Amelia Parnell (NASPA) and more. Organizers plan to continue the event during next year’s Summit, held July 19-23, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.