The measure of our success
At the outset of the HBCU Transformation Project, we put forth these audacious, long-range goals
increase in enrollment at HBCUs
increase in HBCU graduates
added to Black net worth annually
Just as important as these long-term goals, is the culture of cooperation and collaboration we seek to build among HBCUs and the organizations supporting them through the HBCU Transformation Project.
We will know we are successful when HBCUs—both public and private—continue to expand a networked approach as their new standard of practice to make progress on a range of fundamental issues, rather than compete as siloed institutions, to gain greater market share in the context of declining nationwide enrollment.
Institutional Leadership
-
We paid thousands of dollars to try to resolve the enrollment-management problem. Now, we've gotten that taken care of.
Dr. Freddie Williams Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs, Enrollment Management and Admissions & Recruitment, ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY
-
The WELCOME CENTER will assist students to stay on track, while formally introducing prospective students to the Viking way.
Jay'quahn Blackledge SGA Student President, ELIZABETH CITY STATE UNIVERSITY
-
Our work on enrollment management and financial aid is aligning with retention and graduation.
Dr. Juan Alexander Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management, NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY
Already making an impact
The progress among our partner institutions, even in these early stages of the HBCU Transformation Project, is real and measurable.
Our work started in 2020, when UNCF, TMCF and Ed Advancement each provided emergency assistance to institutional partners to provide support and emergency interventions during COVID.
Starting in 2021, we began our transformation work with institutions by supporting their goal-setting and interventions. In encouraging a networked approach, several institutions elected to explore similar opportunities, including:
HBCU Dx Shared CRM
A customized CRM platform to automate customer-relationship practices to reduce time-consuming tasks, freeing up staff for higher-value, student-facing work.
Insidetrack Student Success Coaching
An initiative that leverages the power of coaching to directly support students and staff outcomes.
Mainstay AI Chatbot Initiative
AI web and text bot that helps engage and communicate with students, supporting enrollment and retention goals.
This progress holds great promise for not only reaching our collective goals, but also revealing just how agile and innovative HBCUs are by their very nature—a message echoed by every announcement of each successive gain.
754 staff hours saved
45,000+ ai messages sent
39% student engagement rate
Largest graduation class in school history
Building best lives center for marginalized student groups
Highest enrollment in school history.
Exceeded 2025 endowment goal of $51m with $80m already raised.
Enrollment increased by 6% to 4,000 exceeding goal of 3,844 students.
Online course offerings doubled +100%.
First-year applicants increased by 49% (2021-2022)
First hbcu to acquire another institution with wesley college merger
Increased new student registration from 117 to 257 (2021-2023)
Insidetrack student success coaching
First-time freshman retention rate improved from 85% to 88% (2021-2023)
Persistence rate increased from to 72.3% to 95% (2021-2023)
Increased first-year applicants by 64%
Increased retention by four percentage points (66% to 70%)
Increased applications by 174%
Increased first-year enrollment by 54%
Graduation rate increased significantly from 25% to 37% (2022-2023)
Retention command center relaunched
Increased retention rate to 75%
Highest in the last 10 years
Highest enrollment in nearly a decade
10 percentage point increase in retention (from 61% to 71%)