12 hours ago
HBCUs Create First Fully Online, Accredited Virtual University
In a sweeping move that could redefine higher education for underrepresented communities, six prominent Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have joined forces to launch the first entirely online, degree-granting consortium tailored to the HBCU experience, dubbed eHBCU.
The initiative extends the cultural legacy, academic rigor, and community-centered values of HBCUs into the digital realm. Backed by philanthropic heavyweights including Blue Meridian Partners and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. This digital campus is designed to serve students globally. Breaking geographic and economic barriers that often limit access to traditional HBCU campuses.
Importantly, all degree-granting programs offered through eHBCU are provided by fully accredited Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Each institution meets rigorous academic and institutional standards. Ensuring that students receive a recognized and respected education across all eligible programs. This assurance preserves the integrity and reputation that HBCUs have built over generations, now delivered on a global digital platform.
"This is more than online learning," said Terry Jeffries, Executive Director of eHBCU. "It's a movement to expand the reach of what HBCUs have always represented-academic excellence, cultural pride, and upward mobility."
The consortium comprises six founding institutions:
Delaware State UniversityAlabama State UniversitySouthern University and A&M CollegeSouthern University at New OrleansSouthern University at ShreveportPensole Lewis College of Business & Design
Together, these institutions represent a cross-section of the HBCU landscape. From comprehensive research universities to a specialized design college, each brings distinct strengths to the virtual platform.
Dr. Tony Allen, President of Delaware State University and Chair of the eHBCU Advisory Board, emphasized that the digital transformation isn't just reactive-it's proactive.
"We are ensuring that the HBCU experience, its mentorship, community, and cultural significance, remains intact even when delivered online," Allen said. "This is a long-term investment in access and equity."
Allen, a former speechwriter for then-Senator Joe Biden and current Chair of the President's Board of Advisors on HBCUs, has steered Delaware State into a national model for institutional innovation. His leadership underscores the seriousness of the consortium's ambitions.
eHBCU's leadership roster reads like a who's who of accomplished educators and trailblazers in Black higher education:
Dr. D'Wayne Edwards, President of Pensole Lewis College, revitalized the nation's only design-focused HBCU and has been lauded by Fast Company as one of the most innovative educators in the Quinton T. Ross, Jr., President of Alabama State University, brings legislative and administrative experience, having served as both a state senator and K–12 K. Pierre, Chancellor of Southern University and A&M College, is a legal scholar and civil rights advocate who previously led Southern University Law Center to national James H. Ammons, Jr., Chancellor of Southern University at New Orleans, is a veteran of HBCU leadership with prior presidencies at Florida A&M University and North Carolina Central Aubra J. Gantt, Chancellor of Southern University at Shreveport, made history as the first woman to lead SUSLA and is a champion for community college students and digital learning innovation.
Upon launch, eHBCU will offer access to 33 online degree and certification programs spanning high-demand fields such as:
Computer Science and ITHealthcareAccountingBusiness ManagementProfessional Development
According to Jeffries, the curriculum was designed in direct response to labor market trends and workforce gaps. Providing students not just with education but with tangible career pathways.
Data continues to show that Black students are underrepresented in many high-growth sectors. eHBCU aims to bridge that gap by offering flexible learning formats while preserving the mentorship and community that often defines the HBCU experience.
"This platform is built not just for convenience, but for belonging," said Jeffries. "We understand that Black students are looking for spaces where they can thrive academically and culturally, and eHBCU delivers that."
The backing of organizations like Blue Meridian Partners-a philanthropic investment organization focused on scaling solutions to social problems-and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund adds both financial muscle and national credibility to the effort.
These partnerships are critical as eHBCU seeks to scale beyond its initial online degree offerings, with ambitions to include more HBCUs and a broader range of programs in the future.
While the move to virtual education is not unique in higher ed. The eHBCU consortium distinguishes itself by centering Black cultural identity within the online learning experience.
"It's a 21st-century model built on a 19th-century tradition," said Dr. Ross of Alabama State. "HBCUs have always been engines of opportunity. Now, we're making that opportunity borderless."
Enrollment is now open for programs through the eHBCU platform, with student support services ranging from academic advising to career coaching-all offered virtually. The founding institutions expect to serve thousands of students globally within the first year.
For more information on online degree programs and admissions, prospective students can visit
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