Southern University’s College of Nursing and Allied Health is breaking barriers and making history in remarkable ways. According to WBRZ-2 News, the Baton Rouge, LA-based Historically Black College and University has achieved a significant milestone by welcoming the largest cohort of Black male nursing students in its history — 33 individuals. “The diversity of males in healthcare is very important for us,” said nursing student James Rodgers. “So to be a part of something like this is legendary for us.” Student Ray Washington added, “I think now other males, younger black males, older males having the opportunity to see what we’re doing here is only going to ignite a fire in them and say we have the opportunity to decide our own story and not allow the world to make that decision for us.” The students are determined to transform the face of healthcare while challenging stereotypes . Their commitment goes beyond caring for their peers; they aspire to make a lasting impact on their...

A Black woman is leading the establishment of New York City, NY ‘s first HBCU Early College Prep High School, a groundbreaking initiative developed in partnership with the historically Black college from which she graduated. Dr. Asya Johnson, chancellor’s master principal of NYC Public Schools, is a passionate advocate for racial justice and educational equity with over 16 years of educational experience. A proud Delaware State University alumna , she stated that the prep high school aims to “bridge the accelerated academics of a rich tradition of HBCU experience,” Waymaker Journal reported . She is now paving the way for a new generation to follow in her footsteps. The HBCU Early College Prep High School will open in Southeast Queens in September 2025, fast-tracking NYC Public School students’ path to college. They will be able to start receiving college credits as early as ninth grade and graduate high school with a diploma, a tuition-free associate’s degree, and guaranteed...

Two-time Super Bowl champion Terrell Davis is taking the lessons of his past and educating the next generation of athletes. The San Diego, CA-native was once a student-athlete, playing for Long Beach State University in California before transferring to the University of Georgia after Long Beach’s football program was shut down. In 1995, Davis’ talents would bring him to the bright lights of the NFL field, with him being drafted by the Denver Broncos. The team signed him under a three-year contract valued at $484,000, which included a $38,000 signing bonus, mentioned Spotrac. Early Financial Mishaps He recalled having no prior financial education when he entered the league, but he had a realization about money management through veteran teammate Simon Raynard Fletcher who one day was driving him to a nearby hotel following training camp. “I noticed on the passenger side of his car when I got in, it was a bunch of envelopes and there was a bunch of checks,” Davis told AFROTECH™. “I...

There has been a quick turn of events that will impact millions of borrowers. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan was given the green light to be put into action on Oct. 2, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Randall Hall, who represents the Southern District of Georgia. NBC News reports the plan had been under a temporary restraining order that was a result of a lawsuit against Biden and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona. It was brought forward by the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, North Dakota, and Ohio. Hall was willing to allow the temporary restraining order to expire, and this was based on his belief that the Southern District of Georgia order “failed to show an injury that is concrete, particularized, actual, or imminent.” “Without standing, the Court finds it proper to dismiss Georgia as a party to the suit for lack of subject matter jurisdiction and turns to Defendants’ arguments related to venue,” he...

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania became the first HBCU to open in 1837. Like its successors, Hampton, Howard and Spelman , these institutions were developed to provide access to higher education for Black students. Up until then, Black students were either excluded from the higher education experience by predominantly white institutions or one of the few that were admitted. In the 1970s, HBCUs began to see an influx of non-Black students pursuing admission. The percentage of non-Black students has reached close to 30% at some HBCUs with the highest being 90% at the Bluefield Colored Institute . White students have long attended HBCUs and continue to enroll today, yet the history of higher education still begs the question: Can white people go to HBCUs? The History of the HBCU Due to racial discrimination, Black people were largely prevented from pursuing higher education. The development of HBCUs has served the Black community, and continues to, through education and philanthropy....

Students and borrowers waiting on President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan may soon breathe a sigh of relief. According to NBC News, the president’s plan can move forward after a judge ruled Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, for a temporary restraining order against it to expire. U.S. District Judge Randall Hall, in his order from the Southern District of Georgia, said Georgia lacked standing to challenge the plan because it did not demonstrate any “concrete” or “imminent” injury. “Without standing, the Court finds it proper to dismiss Georgia as a party to the suit for lack of subject matter jurisdiction and turns to Defendants’ arguments related to venue,” he wrote, per NBC. Hall also concurred with the federal government’s stance that the venue was improper, stating that a plaintiff without standing cannot create a venue where it wouldn’t otherwise exist. He determined that the “most equitable result” would be to transfer the case to a district with the proper venue,...

It’s hard not to be ecstatic about a $237.75 million donation to any educational organization, especially historically black colleges and universities . Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU) president Larry Robinson was gleeful and already picturing the possibilities of what the HBCU could do with those funds. The donor, who initially requested to be anonymous, agreed to distribute 14 million shares of stock of intrinsic value plus an additional $61 million over the course of 10 years. Unfortunately, that donation from what we now know as the (former) Isaac Batterson Family 7th Trust and Batterson Farms CEO Gregory Gerami didn’t hold up. With minimal information about the CEO and even less about the company, FAMU had to pause the donation. “I take full responsibility for this matter and the ensuing fallout,” Robinson told FAMU trustees, according to a Forbes report . “I wanted it to be real and ignored the warning signs along the way. There was no personal gain, but...

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been vital in offering quality education, fostering leadership, and promoting cultural heritage within the African American community. Florida is home to several HBCUs that have made significant contributions to higher education and the development of their students. These institutions provide a diverse range of programs, helping to prepare students for successful careers in various fields. Florida A&M University (FAMU) Florida A&M University (FAMU), located in Tallahassee and established in 1887, is one of the most notable HBCUs in Florida. It offers a wide array of programs, including pharmacy, journalism, agriculture, and engineering. FAMU has recently expanded its STEM offerings by introducing graduate degrees in aerospace engineering , starting in the fall of 2025, through a partnership with Florida State University. This initiative aims to prepare students for careers in aerospace and defense. Additionally, FAMU offers...

There are so many paths to success that people looking to begin or further develop careers have many options. The pathways to advancement are endless, from becoming an entrepreneur to becoming a social media influencer. However, many people are still interested in pursuing the more traditional route of earning a college degree and attaining a corporate job, or leveraging that education to start their own business. If attending college is on your radar, maximizing your earning potential starts before the first job interview. Evidence suggests that the launch of a fruitful career begins with choosing a major that can potentially lead to a higher-than-average salary. According to the 2024 National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) survey, the highest salaries are attributed to those who major in STEM disciplines. These fields, particularly engineering and computer science, dominate the list of highest-paying majors. Their high salaries are fueled by a strong demand for...

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA ) spent time at the 2024 National Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Week Conference in Philadelphia, PA, showcasing its initiatives aimed at engaging underrepresented and underserved students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The conference — which started Sept. 15, 2024, and ends Sept. 19 — is part of an ongoing White House initiative that brings together the nation’s leading HBCU leaders to celebrate the vital role the institutions will continue to play in advancing workforce development, economic advancement, and higher education. According to NASA , one of the highlights of its participation at the event is the Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) Innovation and Tech Transfer Idea Competition (MITTIC), featuring a hackathon where students will develop innovative solutions that benefit humanity. This year, the focus was on using NASA technologies to tackle common...

Once again, Beyoncé’s impact is being taught in school. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East offered a virtual course titled “Black Is Queen: The Divine Feminine in Kush” in 2021, taught by Dr. Solange Ashby, who has a Ph.D. in Egyptology and was an adjunct professor at Barnard College at the time. Beyoncé has also been taught at Cornell University, Arizona State University, and Rutgers University, among others. Now, Widener University in Pennsylvania becomes the latest school to feature a course on the “Cowboy Carter” artist, according to CBS News. T his time to a class of nearly 10 freshman students, all young women. “Who doesn’t want to take a course on Beyoncé? I grew up listening to her music,” Grace Schneider, a Widener freshman, said, according to the outlet. Jayla Stone, another freshman at Widener, commented: “This is the class I talk the most in. It’s a small class and we’re able to connect more.” The course is taught by Dr. Richard...

Charles Barkley is fulfilling his commitment to a school that has ties to a historic math discovery. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Calcea Johnson and Ne’Kiya Jackson, who attended St. Mary’s Academy in New Orleans, LA, at the time, found an alternative way to solve the Pythagorean Theorem during their senior year. Without using circular reasoning, they were still able to use trigonometry, which had puzzled mathematicians for over 2,000 years. “Calcea and Ne’Kiya explained it to me like this: Basically, trigonometry is based on Pythagoras’ Theorem (A^2 + B^2 = C^2, sound familiar?), so using trigonometry to prove Pythagoras’ Theorem is what’s known as circular logic,” mentioned WWL-TV 4 reporter Sam Winstrom. The young prodigies had come to this conclusion following a math contest held at their school, which was attached to a $500 incentive. “There was a bonus question that was to create a new proof of the Pythagorean Theorem,” Johnson told PEOPLE. “Ne’Kiya and I were the only...

Jehron Petty isn’t just talking the talk — he’s leading by example when making the technology space more equitable and diverse. Upon graduating from Cornell University with a degree in computer science in May 2020, Petty prepared to step into a career in corporate America, but life had other plans. Although he received an offer as an associate product manager at Google, his deep desire to build up his community lingered. It was not long before he gave up the Google opportunity to found ColorStack, a startup technology company on a mission to increase the number of Black and Latinx computer science graduates who go on to start rewarding technical careers. “So I studied computer science at Cornell. I also like to help people naturally; my first instinct when in a group or a space is, ‘How can I help?’ And so the combination of those two things led me to be a very involved mentor while I was in school,” Petty shared in an interview with AFROTECH™. “I noticed other computer science...

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been a staple in Black American culture. With touted alums like Vice President Kamala Harris, Chadwick Boseman, Shannon Sharpe, Taraji P. Henson, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., HBCU graduates have positively influenced and impacted several industries. Despite the challenges, HBCUs have shown remarkable resilience. Their deep cultural histories and the long list of influential alums stand as a testament to their enduring importance in the Black academic experience. Why Are Black Males Enrolling Less? However, recent data shows a decline in enrollment among Black males. According to the American Institute for Boys and Men, HBCUs have seen a general enrollment decline of 11% since 2010, a trend that mirrors what’s happening across higher education. However, the drop in enrollment among Black male students is more significant, with a 25% decrease at HBCUs compared to a 22% decline at all institutions. Although the percentage...

Through their foundation, Stephen and Ayesha Curry plan to invest $25 million in Oakland, CA, over the next five years. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, the couple are founders of the Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation, which is intended to improve the lives of children through increased literacy rates, healthy meals, and opportunities for active lifestyles. Their work is being carried out in their “adopted hometown” of Oakland. In 2022, the foundation committed to building 150 libraries across Oakland and bringing 30,000 books into the hands of the youth. Additional efforts over the years have included $5 million in grants to support tutoring across more than 20 elementary schools, $2.5 million in grants allocated to libraries and teachers, and the remodeling of two elementary school libraries, according to a press release shared with AFROTECH™ . Photo Credit: Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation $25M Commitment Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation continues to scale its commitment in light of a $25...