In Pivotal Moment for the Nation, Top Government, Industry and Philanthropic Leaders Convene to Discuss Future of HBCUs
2024年7月24日 - 11:36PM
UNITE 2024: UNCF Summit for Black Higher Education kicks off in
Atlanta on July 28. The five-day conference—convened by UNCF
(United Negro College Fund)—is the premiere national convening
advancing the missions of Black colleges and universities.
This year’s Summit is expected to include representatives from more
than 75 historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and
their partners, funders and champions.
“UNITE 2024 will undoubtedly be our largest and most impactful
Summit to date,” said Ed Smith-Lewis, UNCF’s senior vice president,
Strategic Partnerships and Institutional Programs and leader of its
Institute for Capacity Building. “We are at a pivotal crossroad,
with America’s future on the line. It is exhilarating to see
national leaders recognizing the crucial role HBCUs play as engines
of transformation in our society.”
The Summit is expecting record attendance for a jam-packed
agenda of sought-after speakers on the main stage and more than 140
breakout sessions and workshops —all supported by an unprecedented
number of sponsors and supporters.
Speakers confirmed for UNITE 2024 include Pulitzer Prize winner
and the Knight Chair in Race and Journalism at Howard University
Nikole Hannah Jones; U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency Administrator Michael S. Regan; Associate Professor
of African American Studies at Princeton University Ruha
Benjamin; Xerox CEO Steven Bandrowczak; Blue Meridian
Partners President Jim Shelton; prominent actor, activist
and educator Lamman Rucker; and President Emerita of Spelman
College and Bennett College Johnnetta Betsch Cole.
The Summit will feature the institutional signing ceremony for
the much-anticipated fall 2024 launch of HBCUv, a new online
learning and engagement platform built by and for Black colleges.
Summit participants will also receive key updates on new
initiatives to strengthen HBCU endowments, expand HBCU K-12
partnerships, and refresh UNCF’s groundbreaking HBCU economic
impact report.
Celebrating its 80th anniversary, UNCF will kick off UNITE 2024
on July 28 with a concert sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company
featuring Grammy Award-winning gospel singer Yolanda Adams
and renowned singer-songwriter and actress Ledisi. To close
the Summit on July 31, conference attendees and the surrounding
community are invited to Homecoming, a celebration of HBCU culture
that will feature a performance hip hop icon Chubb Rock.
Dr. Michael L. Lomax, President and CEO, UNCF, emphasized that
UNITE 2024 aims to drive forward critical issues and groundbreaking
advancements. “The nation’s attention is rightfully on HBCUs,” Dr.
Lomax stated. “Our community has achieved remarkable progress in
recent years, but the potential for greater impact lies ahead. We
eagerly anticipate engaging a wide cross-section of national
leaders to explore how HBCUs will shape the next era of American
life.”
Registration for the Summit is still available. Tickets to the
full convening (July 28 - August 1) as well as individual tickets
to the Celebration Concert (July 28) and Homecoming (July 31) may
be found at uncficb.org.
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About UNCF UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the
nation’s largest and most effective minority
education organization. To serve youth, the community and the
nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through
scholarships and other programs, supports and strengthens its 37
member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance
of minority education and college readiness. While totaling only 3%
of all colleges and universities, UNCF institutions and other
historically Black colleges and universities are highly effective,
awarding 15% of bachelor’s degrees, 5% of master’s degrees, 10% of
doctoral degrees and 19% of all STEM degrees earned by Black
students in higher education. UNCF administers more than
400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship,
mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty
development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 50,000
students at over 1,100 colleges and universities across the
country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in
education and its widely recognized trademark, ‟A mind is a
terrible thing to waste.”® Learn more at UNCF.org or
for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on X (formerly
Twitter) at @UNCF.
Roy Betts
UNCF
2407033384
roy.betts@uncf.org