Students at Queens High School for the Sciences — the New York borough’s only specialized high school — are pushing to move to a brand-new building, relocating from the second floor of York College’s Jamaica building. Citing issues including overcrowding and the lack of a kitchen and auditorium, students hope to move into the new city-built school at 165-15 88th Ave., scheduled to open in fall 2026, ChalkBeat New York reports . Sophomore Vinny Dong has twice addressed the Panel for Educational Policy, the school board that handles school location proposals, about his school’s conditions. “We have a gym shared with a college that’s two blocks away, for 514 students. We have a library that’s also shared, even though it’s critical for our educational content and classes,” Dong told the panel in October 2025, per ChalkBeat. At least three of the seven parent boards in the borough, along with the citywide high school parent council, also support relocation or creating an entirely new...

Dallas Mavericks Point Guard Kyrie Irving has announced a multi-year partnership with Paul Quinn College, bringing new resources to the only HBCU in Dallas, according to HBCU Gameday. The college is one of 14 basketball programs selected to receive a full uniform sponsorship from Irving and sports equipment company, ANTA. The three-year agreement will supply the men’s and women’s teams with ANTA sneakers, warmups, and apparel designed through Irving’s work with the brand, the outlet reports. The sponsorship is part of a wider grassroots effort involving youth, schools, and community teams in regions tied to Irving’s career and personal history. According to HBCU Gameday, the participating programs have been outfitted with pieces from the KAI collection, including popular colorways such as Crown Jewel, Mentality, Retro ’90s, and Klay. Paul Quinn College publicly thanked Irving for the long-term commitment in a post on X on Nov. 24: “This isn’t your ordinary sneaker drop.  @NBA legend...

Dillard University has joined the growing list of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to earn philanthropic donations from MacKenzie Scott . The New Orleans, LA-based HBCU has received a historic $19 million contribution — the largest single gift in the university’s history, according to a news release. The contribution follows a $5 million donation in 2020 from the MacKenzie Scott Foundation and underscores Scott’s continued investment in HBCUs nationwide. “If anyone ever doubts the difference one person can make, look no further than MacKenzie Scott and how her generosity will resonate across generations,” Dillard president Dr. Monique Guillory said in the news release. “This gift will strengthen the university at a moment when our mission has never been more urgent.” The unrestricted gift will enable Dillard to accelerate key strategic priorities, including enhancing student success, expanding scholarship opportunities, and strengthening institutional...

Hampton University has strengthened its commitment to student success, and it is seeing record enrollment. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Black student enrollment at Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and other predominantly white institutions has declined following the 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision banning race-conscious college admissions. However, Hampton University, a Carnegie R2-designated research institution, is charting a different course. The university evaluates applicants on technical acumen, leadership potential, and community engagement. It also leverages predictive analytics and personalized engagement strategies, including partnerships with high schools and community colleges, as well as site visits for students and their families. “We’ve never needed policy to define our purpose,” said Dr. Barbara Inman, vice president for student success and enrollment management, according to a news release. “Our approach has always been to find promise and surround it with support....

The Department of Education has updated its qualifications for professional and graduate degrees. According to the Association of American Universities, the Department of Education under Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” (H.R.1) has made changes that will impact student loan borrowers. It has imposed a $100,000 lifetime cap on borrowing for graduate students, who can take out loans of no more than $20,500 per year, while professional students have a $200,000 lifetime cap and cannot borrow more than $50,000. Additionally, the Department of Education has dismantled the Grad PLUS loan program. According to Federal Student Aid, borrowers used the loan for “education expenses not covered by other financial aid.” The Department has also shifted the goal post for what constitutes a professional degree program. It classifies medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, optometry, law, veterinary medicine, osteopathic medicine, podiatry, chiropractic, theology, and clinical psychology as professional...

Dr. RoDina L. Williams has made history as the first Black person in Illinois to earn a Doctorate in Clinical Laboratory Science (DCLS). A mother, advocate, and scholar, Williams recently received her DCLS from the University of Texas Medical Branch but says it was her time at Illinois State University (ISU) that set her on the path to success. She first stepped into higher education at ISU, earning two bachelor’s degrees — in kinesiology and recreation and medical laboratory science, according to Illinois State University News. She currently serves as director of health sciences–medical laboratory programs at City Colleges of Chicago . “To stand as the first Black person in Illinois to have a Doctorate in Clinical Laboratory Science is a testament to every door our ancestors pushed open and every barrier we continue to dismantle,” Williams shared in an email to AFROTECH™. “This honor reminds me that representation isn’t just symbolic; it is a beacon. If my journey lights the path...

Your past doesn’t define you, and this doctor is a testament to that. At 14 years old, Dr. Stanley Andrisse, MBA, Ph.D., raised in Ferguson, MO, was arrested. By his 20s, he had accumulated three felony drug convictions, according to The Dig at Howard University (The Dig). Yet, despite this experience, he went from being incarcerated in a maximum-security prison to working as an endocrinologist, scientist, and tenured professor at Howard University College of Medicine. The catalyst for rewriting his story occurred after losing his father to Type 2 diabetes while still incarcerated , according to a separate article from The Dig . That experience inspired him to learn more about the disease, prompting him to read his first scientific article. “ I decided to live differently and honor my father’s life by pursuing science,” he told the outlet. Andrisse applied to various graduate schools after being released from prison and received various rejections. Fortunately, he received an...

MacKenzie Scott is on an HBCU funding tour. Scott has recently made multiple donations to support Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), including two consecutive record-setting donations to Prairie View A&M University ($63 million) and Bowie State University ($50 million). According to press releases, this marked the most significant single contribution in each institution’s history. “Her generosity arrives at a pivotal moment in our 160-year story. It empowers us to expand access, elevate our research and academic excellence, and uplift generations of students who will lead, serve and innovate,” Dr. Aminta H. Breaux, president of Bowie State University, said in a press release. “Higher education is the pathway to upward social mobility for our students and the communities we serve, and, with this gift, their futures are brighter than ever.” Prairie View A&M University President Tomikia P. LeGrande commented: “This gift is more than generous — it is defining and...

Shaquille O’Neal has once again invested in Atlanta’s youth. In 2021, the Shaquille O’Neal Foundation opened the Shaquille O’Neal Boys & Girls Club of Henry County, which included a learning center, computer lab, arts & crafts center, music studio, game room, multipurpose room, and gym, according to its website. Prior to its opening, the foundation invested over $1 million to support renovations with the support of additional partners. According to Empower Atlanta Magazine, staff acknowledged that the club has been helpful to families by providing academic support, mentorship, and after-school programming. “The Boys & Girls Club always provided a safe space for me when I was growing up,” O’Neal said in a 2022 news release. “It shaped who I am today, and I’m proud to help create similar pathways to success for the kids of Henry County.” O’Neal has doubled down on his commitment to the youth at the 2025 Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta Youth of the Year Gala, which recognizes teens...

Another college has followed suit in offering tuition-free education to students. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Emory University announced in September that it would provide tuition-free education to families earning $200,000 or less. This was made possible through the Atlanta-based school’s Emory Advantage Plus program. “We want great students to come here without regard to the cost. And we will do everything in our power to give them a great education without the burden of crushing debt,” Interim President Leah Ward Sears said in a press release. Next in line, Johns Hopkins University will also offer a tuition-free agreement to students with families making up to $200,000, according to a news release. Additionally, it will provide families earning up to $100,000 with additional financial assistance that can be applied to tuition, fees, and living expenses. This will be effective starting the 2026-2027 academic year. “Trying to understand financial aid offers can be...

Voorhees University in Denmark, South Carolina, has received a major financial boost that university officials say will support key programs and operations. According to a press release, philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has donated $19 million to the historically Black university, marking the largest gift in its 128-year history since its founding in 1897. The funds will support endowment growth, student recruitment and retention, scholarships, and campus maintenance. Since 2020, Voorhees University has reached notable milestones, including its elevation from college to university status and the expansion of its academic offerings to include master’s and doctoral degree programs. As the press release notes, it’s also the only HBCU in the country authorized to approve charter schools, demonstrating its commitment to education from early learning through advanced degrees. “This generous gift from Ms. MacKenzie Scott is a resounding affirmation of the extraordinary work being done at...

Governor Greg Abbott and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick have ordered an investigation into alleged financial mismanagement at Texas Southern University (TSU), one of the nation’s largest Historically Black Colleges and Universities . Abbott announced Monday, Nov. 10, 2025, that he directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to investigate after State Auditor Lisa Collier reported significant “deficiencies in oversight, contracting, processes, and reporting” — affecting “hundreds of millions” of state funds. He also asked the Texas Comptroller’s Office to help the Texas Rangers “fully analyze” the university’s finances. “The Texas State Auditor uncovered significant financial and operational issues with Texas Southern University’s accounting procedures, alleging the potential misappropriation of hundreds of millions of dollars,” Abbott said. “Waste, fraud, and abuse will not be tolerated. TSU’s Board of Regents and all university officials must fully cooperate with these investigations...

Several prominent Black philanthropists have been investing in HBCUs. Forbes reports that funding to HBCUs has been on the rise amid a significant drop in support of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts under the Trump administration. Donating to HBCUs is vital because it strengthens representation across industries and fosters innovative and diverse perspectives that drive meaningful change, extending far beyond classroom walls into venture capital, business, technology, entertainment, and beyond. Examples of innovators from HBCUs from this year alone include Morgan State University graduate Peter Iwuh. He’s making waves through Tykoon AI, which is a platform that empowers student-athletes at HBCUs in the name, image, and likeness landscape by helping them find nearby opportunities, create merch, and more, as AFROTECH™ previously told you. Morgan State University is also home to alumni Kiante Bush and Clarevonte “Clay” Williams, who are the co-founders of Venture for T.H.E.M.,...

This program’s funding efforts to increase Black representation in medicine is being targeted by legal experts. The Washington Free Beacon reports Franklin County’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Columbus, OH, has been funding the Made for Medicine program since 2023. It has invested more than $600,000 in the program, which is designed to increase Black representation in medicine by providing middle and high school students who “identify as African American or Black” with resources such as special courses, labs, and research opportunities. The program does not permit applications from non-minorities, although it is affiliated with the Columbus Medical Association, which is “committed to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access for all.” “Do I have to identify as African American or Black in order to participate?” a question on the FAQ page read, according to the outlet. “Yes. Due to the dearth of African Americans and/or Blacks in the medical field, we are specifically...

Kendall Rae Johnson, the youngest farmer certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), will team up with Prairie View A&M University to teach youth about agriculture and HBCU culture. During an interview with AFROTECH™, Rae Johnson cited her love for nature as the driving force behind her interest in farming, which began when she was three years old, inspired by her great-grandmother Laura “Kate” Williams. “She taught me how to grow collard greens,” Rae Johnson recalled. “I thought it was magical that something so small could turn into something so big. So from there on, I got started.” Rae Johnson was supported by her parents, who nurtured her growing curiosity as she began cultivating tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers on the patio porch. For her fourth birthday, they made a significant investment in her passion by transforming their yard into a full garden. “Just to see her excitement and how she blossomed from that was just amazing. Like she really took it on. She really...