Delaware State University has partnered in the new $21.5 million National Science Foundation AI Institute for Human-AI Cooperation, where students and faculty will help explore how AI can work alongside people to improve health care, research and everyday life.
Dr. Tony Allen, president of Delaware State University, recently shared that enrollment at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) has grown by 7% in the past three years.
He also pointed out that, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, HBCU enrollment has gone up by 14% over the last fifty years.
Applications to HBCUs have increased by at least a third, making it harder to get into some of these schools than many others.
Dr. Allen explained that this growth matters because HBCUs help Americans move from poverty to the middle class at twice the national rate.
In fields where HBCUs offer doctoral programs, they produce nearly 20% of the nation’s Black doctoral graduates.
A major study of HBCU alumni found that 83% of recent graduates felt a strong sense of belonging, which is almost 20 points higher than the national average.
Delaware State has set new student enrollment records in four of the last five years and is growing in important areas, including being one of five national lead institutions for the AWS Machine Learning University.
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University welcomed a record 3,214 first-year students. Last year, the school also had a record 81.2% first-year retention rate and 3,200 graduates.
Tennessee State University welcomed more than 1,600 first-year students this fall, almost four times as many as last year. The Class of 2030 was officially welcomed at Freshman Convocation, marking the start of their time as Tigers. These students come from 37 states and 14 countries.
A major study of HBCU alumni found that 83% of recent graduates felt a strong sense of belonging.
Florida A&M University welcomed over 1,900 first-time college students, its biggest incoming class in ten years, during the 2026 New Student Pinning Ceremony. These students come from all 67 Florida counties and 49 states. They pinned orange and green ribbons on each other to show they were joining the FAMU community and connecting with past generations of Rattlers.
Alabama A&M University welcomed more than 2,200 first-year students from 37 states and 8 countries. They started their studies with the traditional passing of the torch to new Bulldogs. Women make up 59% of AAMU’s Class of 2030, and men make up 41%.
Prairie View A&M University celebrated almost 2,000 new students with live music and campus events. The celebrations brought together students, staff, faculty, families, alumni, and friends.
Morgan State University started the Fall 2026 semester as Maryland’s largest HBCU and a top public urban research university. This semester gives students chances to learn, discover, and succeed, from bachelor’s to doctoral programs.
Tuskegee University welcomed thousands of students and their families, including its largest first-year class in thirty years.