By Rachel Williams, NACAC Communications

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) provide Black students with many benefits that distinguish them from Predominantly White Institutions (PWI), yet they often face significant challenges such as underfunding, stigma, and a lack of exposure and awareness.

That was the basis of discussion at NACAC’s inaugural HBCU Advance in 2024 at Coppin State University (MD), where attendees representing various HBCU institutions and community-based organizations gathered to share their experiences, strategies, and areas of need.

A new report captured this discussion, with a goal of bringing awareness to the best practices and issues raised by attendees. The report provides insight into the unique institutional advantages and challenges specific within HBCU admission, the challenges these institutions face in reaching prospective students, and recommendations for HBCU admission offices.

Keynote speaker Ivory Toldson, chief of research at Cocentric Educational Solutions and professor of counseling psychology at Howard University, stressed that HBCUs should build systems and processes that serve their unique missions instead of conforming to the systems built by PWIs.

“Soul food didn’t come from emulating white chefs. Good Black research won’t come from imitating white researchers,” said Toldson.

Based on the success of HBCU Advance 2024, NACAC is planning its second annual HBCU Advance in Atlanta, Georgia on Aug. 1, 2025. This event will immediately follow Guiding the Way to Impact (GWI), which is happening in Atlanta July 29-31.

“HBCUs continue to occupy a unique and vibrant space within the higher education landscape,” said John Hollemon, director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at NACAC. “As we talked to the NACAC membership, it became clear that we needed to provide space to acknowledge and address the unique needs of our HBCU community, while celebrating its diverse experiences and perspectives to cultivate best practices, progression, inclusivity, and distinction.”

Read the report and learn more about HBCU Advance 2025.