HBCU Leaders Unite in Atlanta: "Together We Lead"

ATLANTA—

The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) launched its premier UNITE 2025 conference this week, drawing over 1,300 attendees from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) nationwide for a transformative four-day gathering focused on advancing institutional excellence and student success.

Dr. Roslyn Clark ArtisRunning through Thursday, UNITE 2025 represents the largest annual convening of HBCU leadership, featuring HBCU presidents, administrators, faculty, students, and industry partners united under this year's powerful theme: "Together We Lead."

The conference opened with the signature Institutional Excellence Gala and Commencement Address, where UNCF President and CEO Dr. Michael L. Lomax delivered an inspiring fireside chat outlining his vision for the next chapter of HBCU excellence.

"This convening reaffirms that education is still essential to the progress, not just of African Americans – not just to HBCUs – but actually the progress of the world and our nation," Lomax told the packed banquet hall. "It's an existential moment, and what the future is going to be is what we define it as."

UNITE 2025's comprehensive program is structured around five critical pillars that UNCF has identified as essential to advancing HBCU impact:

Institutional Excellence - Workshops focus on governance, strategic planning, and operational effectiveness to strengthen HBCU foundations for long-term success.