UNITE Calls to Action

INSTITUTIONAL EXCELLENCE

In partnership with HBCU Go TV, we’re bringing the UNITE conversation beyond the summit! Explore our Videos on Demand featuring powerful discussions on leadership, innovation, legacy, and the future of HBCUs. Watch or listen anytime—at your desk, in the car, or on the go. Watch Now – access UNITE on demand here!

INSTITUTIONAL EXCELLENCE

The HBCU Sisterhood: Testimonies of Triumph and Transformation is a first-of-its-kind anthology, edited by Benedict College President Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis and Dr. Allia L, Carter, featuring eight pioneering HBCU presidents—Dr. Sebetha Jenkins, Dr. Dianne Boardley Suber, Dr. Trudie Kibbe Reed, Dr. Brenda Allen, Dr. Cynthia Jackson-Hammond, Dr. Cheryl Davenport Dozier, Dr. Colette Pierce Burnette, and Dr. Cynthia Warrick—sharing their leadership journeys in their own words. Through candid reflections on navigating financial crises, accreditation pressures, political scrutiny, gender bias, and institutional transformation, these trailblazing leaders offer timeless lessons on resilience, vision, and service.

Add this groundbreaking anthology to your collection and celebrate the voices of the women who have led, transformed, and strengthened HBCUs for generations. Purchase your copy here. 

STUDENT SUCCESS

The UNCF HBCU Work-Integrated Learning Community of Practice will bring together up to 15 HBCUs for a structured, readiness-building experience focused on strengthening connections between academic learning and meaningful workplace experiences. 

Participating institutions will assess their current WIL capacity, identify potential campus entry points, engage in peer learning, and begin shaping ideas for future implementation. 

Participation in the Community of Practice is required for institutions seeking consideration for the inaugural HBCU Work-Integrated Learning Accelerator cohort, beginning in January 2027. Eight institutions will be selected to advance and may receive up to $50,000 in catalytic support for early-stage implementation. 

Each institution must submit one application and identify a core team of three to four participants. Applicants should coordinate with senior institutional leadership before submitting. 

Application deadline: Tuesday, August 18, 2026 

[Apply to the Community of Practice] 

STUDENT SUCCESS

Exploring pathways to philanthropic investment in HBCUs? Monica Hall of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation spoke at UNITE on how data, timing, and trust drove RWJF’s investment in HBCU medical schools, including flexible funding for six institutions. Read more in her Candid piece here.

RESEARCH & INNOVATION

Help reimagine how HBCUs work together to achieve greater impact. The UNCF Institute for Capacity Building is seeking a Director of Shared Services to lead initiatives that help institutions identify opportunities for collaboration, improve operational efficiency, and build sustainable solutions that strengthen the long-term capacity of HBCUs. 
 

Interested in applying? Review and complete the application here.  

RESEARCH & INNOVATION

The Michelson Intellectual Property Institute partners with HBCU faculty to bring intellectual property education into college classrooms through our paid Educators in Residence Program.  

Interested in learning more? Complete the interest form here and receive priority notifications when applications open for our next HBCU cohort. 

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

Amazon is offering two free ways to build AI skills this August: a four-part beginner webinar series, “In This Together: AI Foundations for Your Community,” running every Wednesday at 6 PM EST, and a dedicated cohort for those ready to earn the AWS AI Practitioner certification. Register free for either option here.

RESEARCH & INNOVATION

In partnership with Ellucian, we invite you to participate in the HBCU AI Survey, the second phase of our ongoing research examining how artificial intelligence is shaping teaching, learning, and institutional operations across HBCUs. Your insights will help inform future research, strategy, and practice. Make sure your voice is heard.  Complete the survey here. 

ECONOMIC MOBILITY

Building on the momentum of UNITE 2026, we’re continuing the work of advancing economic mobility and systems change for HBCU communities — this time, with practical tools you can put to work right away. 

Presented in Partnership with Prudential Foundation, join us for a three-part webinar series designed to meet you where you are financially, whatever stage of life you’re in. Each session tackles a real financial challenge facing HBCU students, faculty, staff, and alumni, with insights and strategies you can act on immediately. Together, these conversations reflect our shared commitment to building lasting community wealth. 

One registration gets you access to all three sessions: 

Financial Challenges That Matter Most 
Thursday, September 17 | 1:00 PM ET | Speaker: Dawn Young 
Best practices to manage your money, preserve your assets, and take control of debt. 

Student Loans: How to Pay Off Your Debt 
Thursday, October 15 | 1:00 PM ET | Speaker: Kofo Akosile 
A close look at the types of student loans, your repayment options, and how to build a repayment strategy that fits your goals. 

Retirement Planning Toolkit 
Thursday, November 19 | 1:00 PM ET | Speaker: Delvin Joyce 
A suggested timeline for retirement planning and the investment basics you need to start preparing for the future. 

Don’t just get inspired — get equipped. Secure your spot for the full series today. 

[Register Now] — one sign-up covers all three sessions. 

ECONOMIC MOBILITY

Project ACCLAIM equips institutions with innovative strategies and support to accelerate student success and institutional transformation. Learn more about eligibility and the upcoming application process.  

Interested in learning more about Project ACCLAIM? Attend an info session to learn more and access the application materials below. 

– Session 2: August 13, 12pm ET — Join Meeting 

– Session 3: August 25, 12pm ET — Join Meeting  

Is your institution ready to apply? View application materials here. 

SYSTEMS CHANGE

HBCUs and Political Activation  

For more than 180 years, HBCUs have transformed lives and strengthened our nation despite decades of chronic underinvestment. The IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act represents a critical opportunity to modernize aging campus facilities, expand broadband access, and invest in state-of-the-art learning and research spaces that will help HBCUs grow enrollment, strengthen research capacity, and prepare students for the workforce of tomorrow. Join us in urging Congress and the White House to pass the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act and invest in the future of HBCUs. 

For more information about the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act, click here. 

Act Now: Send a letter to your Members of Congress and the White House to show your support for the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act. Complete the form here!

SYSTEMS CHANGE

UNITE partner Hope Credit Union is partnering with Yancey Consulting on Delta Fest, a first-of-its-kind gathering focused on building economic ownership, entrepreneurship, and civic infrastructure across the Deep South. Delta Fest will take place September 2-4 in Jackson, Mississippi. Read more about the event and register here!