Washington, DC, July 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For the third consecutive year, UNCF (United Negro College Fund), celebrating its 80th anniversary, will host UNITE, the nation’s premier annual gathering of educators, college and university presidents, students, thought leaders and influencers, to discuss strategies to accelerate Black higher education and support the institutional transformation of Black colleges and universities in Atlanta, GA.
UNITE is organized annually by UNCF’s Institute for Capacity Building, whose mission is to partner with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and predominantly Black institutions (PBIs) to help them propel student success, community impact and the advancement of educational equity and racial justice.
The conference will feature speakers and attendees from across the higher education spectrum with the goal of building connections and transforming institutions. UNCF is in the unique position to centralize and elevate the messages that will come out of the conference – Black colleges and universities uniting around a comprehensive strategy of institutional transformation and continuous improvement.
To celebrate UNCF's milestone, a special 80th anniversary concert celebration will be held for attendees on Sunday, July 28, at 7:00 p.m. Headlining the concert will be performances by Grammy Award-winning gospel singer, songwriter and record producer Yolanda Adams and renowned singer-songwriter, music producer, author and actress Ledisi.
WHO: More than 1,000 participants including representatives from over 70 Black colleges and universities, are expected to attend including several national thought leaders in Black higher education and public and private industry executives speaking during the summit on various topics.
WHY: UNITE will feature conversations on increasing investments in HBCUs,
pioneering innovation through the use of AI and other technologies, and how UNCF
and its partners are collaborating to maximize and improve institutional excellence and
operational effectiveness at HBCUs and PBIs.
UNITE is designed to reach across traditional lines of responsibility and present 360
degree views of key issues in higher education, including five Guiding Pillars – institutional
excellence, student success, research and innovation, economic mobility and systems
change – that support advancing the missions of Black colleges and universities and
strengthening Black higher education.
WHEN & WHERE: July 28-August 1, 2024
SIGNIA by HILTON ATLANTA
159 Northside Drive, NW
Atlanta, GA 30313
To learn more about UNITE 2024, visit: uncfunite.org and follow UNCF’s Institute for Capacity Building on LinkedIn, X and Instagram @uncficb.
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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 60,000 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 Twitter at @UNCF.
