HBCUs Answer Obama’s Call to Action for College Opportunity

HBCUs are dedicated to making education accessible to all.

Expanding College Opportunity  - President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama held an event on expanding college opportunity on Jan. 16 appealing to colleges and universities across the nation to increase efforts for higher education opportunities. Colleges responded by pledging to start new initiatives for education. Take a look at the commitments HBCUs have pledged to the White House. — Dominique Zonyéé (@DominiqueZonyee)(Photo: Kent Nishimura-Pool/Getty Images)

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Expanding College Opportunity - President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama held an event on expanding college opportunity on Jan. 16 appealing to colleges and universities across the nation to increase efforts for higher education opportunities. Colleges responded by pledging to start new initiatives for education. Take a look at the commitments HBCUs have pledged to the White House. — Dominique Zonyéé (@DominiqueZonyee)(Photo: Kent Nishimura-Pool/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Kent Nishimura-Pool/Getty Images

Hosts With the Most - Twenty institutions of higher education across the nation hosted the fellowship program. They included Ivy League schools like Yale and Dartmouth; top state universities such as University of California Berkley and University of Texas at Austin; and prestigious HBCUs, including Howard University and Clark Atlanta University. They also will participate in internships at some of the nation's leading companies and organizations.   (Photo: The Washington Times /Landov)

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Howard University - Beginning in fall 2014, Howard will launch a new program within its Center for Academic Excellence (CAE) to specifically focus on success of selected low-income students in the STEM fields. The goal is to increase the retention and graduation rates of low-income students. Additionally, Howard will continue to match federal Pell Grant funds for students who have a zero expected family contribution.(Photo: The Washington Times /Landov)

Morgan State Signs Cooperative Agreements With South African Universities - President David Wilson of Morgan State established a study abroad program with six South African universities following a recent educational mission to the country. In addition to South Africa, Morgan also has cooperative agreements with institutions in Brazil, China and Australia.(Photo: WikiCommons- Morgan State University)

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Morgan State University - Morgan State is committed to expanding its Network for Excellence and Undergraduate Success (NEXUS) program.  NEXUS allows students who are inadmissible to be enrolled at Morgan to enroll in a developmental curriculum at the Community College of Baltimore County while taking their classes at and living on Morgan’s campus. They will raise the number of students in the program from 53 students to 150 students.(Photo: WikiCommons)

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Spelman College - Spelman College will focus on continuing to build its 2008-launched “President Safety Net” campaign, which was started to ensure students affected by the economic downturn – seniors and juniors specifically – would have access to the funds needed to graduate. The school plans to secure $1 million in funding, of which $200,000 has already been secured.(Photo: Tami Chappell /Landov)

Morehouse Men Do "Spring Break" Service in Chicago - Instead of choosing to go home or hit the beach for spring break, 15 Morehouse students opted to spend their time volunteering in Chicago. The students are working in the Roseland community where Morehouse Chicago native Corey Hardiman, 22, founded the Enough Chicago organization to encourage youth to focus on education and expand community outlets.(Photo: Morehouse college)

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Morehouse - Morehouse pledged to avoid academic pitfalls by gearing faculty and academic advisers with the tools to understand the “determents of academic success.” The college also plans to pilot a new pre-collegiate assessment test, similar to the SATs but geared toward STEM students. The model is designed to identify promising high school students via enhanced assessment instruments and methodologies.(Photo: Courtesy of Morehouse College)