After highlighting the $16 billion allocated for Historically Black Colleges and Universities last week, the Biden-Harris administration has announced it is the first to award grants through the Augustus at Hawkins Centers of Excellence Program. This funding is part of the largest investment in HBCUs in U.S. history.
Dr. Dietra Trent, executive director of the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Excellence and Opportunity through HBCUs, emphasized the impact of the administration’s comprehensive financial support. “This money has been used for a number of things, including keeping students enrolled during COVID-19, infrastructure updates, and research and development funding,” said Trent. “The announcement we’re making today is a clear example of this administration’s raising the bar even higher on our commitment to these institutions and their students.”
Dr. Trent highlighted the Augustus F. Hawkins grants’ pivotal role in fostering a diverse and inclusive educational environment. “The Hawkins grant will increase and retain well-prepared teachers from diverse backgrounds serving in our nation’s most underserved elementary and secondary schools, said Trent.
The competitive grant program seeks to enhance teacher preparation programs by providing financial support to HBCUs, paving the way for future educators who can impact their communities.
Trent says the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program grant, another portion of the $16 billion dollars in funding, will support long-range improvement to science and engineering education to increase the participation of underrepresented minorities, particularly minority women and minorities, in STEM careers.
“The announcement of these grants is a clear stance that we as an administration understand that representation across industries matters. It is proof that our actions are not performative but deeply intentional,” said Trent. “This work makes an impact on our communities, not just for these four years, but for many years to come.”
The Power of HBCUs
Tony Allen is the chair of the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities and president of Delaware State University. He highlighted the significance of HBCUs, citing their historical role in building the Black middle class. He emphasized that despite representing only 3% of all colleges in the United States, HBCUs produce nearly 20% of all Black graduates.
“What the President has known since 1972 when he started his first Senate campaign on the hallowed grounds of Delaware State University, is that we do more with less. The administration has clearly stated that less is no longer acceptable,” Allen said. “We do this because our students are trying to change their lives, for their families, their communities that they will ultimately serve. But we are an economic engine, wherever you find an HBCU, and collectively provide about $16 billion of economic impact onto the American economy.”
The administration has strategies to support smaller HBCUs, including the HBCU capital financing program and efforts to build capacity.
