Heidi Anderson, president of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), has filed a $1 million defamation lawsuit against former professor Donna Satterlee over Satterlee’s allegations of plagiarism and racism. Anderson, who is Black, holds a Ph.D. in pharmacy administration from Purdue University, according to The Washington Post. She became UMES president in 2018. In July 2025, Satterlee, who is white, had filed a lawsuit against UMES, Anderson, and other individuals at the school, citing wrongful termination. And later, she filed a complaint with the school accusing Anderson of plagiarizing parts of her 1986 dissertation. On Oct. 15, Satterlee appeared on the Newsmax network, repeating the plagiarism claims, calling Anderson a “scam artist,” and alleging reverse discrimination. “We cannot litigate the case in the press,” Anderson’s attorney, James Walker, told The Post. “We spoke to the school, and they reassured us verbally, in writing, and in an affidavit that Dr. Anderson...

Omar Shaheed III stepped into unfamiliar territory in technology, and now he is setting an example after accomplishing a historical first. The 23-year-old graduated from Berkeley High School in 2020 and was offered an opportunity to apply to South Carolina State University’s mechatronics engineering program by Dr. Hasanul Basher, a professor and chairman of SC State’s Department of Engineering Technology, according to a press release shared with AFROTECH™. The program was in its infancy, and Shaheed was its first student. The program is geared toward equipping students in electronics, control systems, robotics, communications, computer technology, and power systems to work at companies such as Boeing, BMW, Eli Lilly, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, according to information on the program’s website. When Dr. Basher approached Shaheed, the program was still in development at the Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Shaheed admitted he was...

Howard University is advancing artificial intelligence education. According to a news release, the university recently hosted ‘Shaping the Future: AI, Tech Innovation, and the Next-Generation Workforce,’ a campus conversation aimed at connecting national priorities, emerging research, and regional initiatives with opportunities for HBCU students. The discussion was led by Taliontha Washington, Ph.D., executive director of the Howard University Center for Applied Data Science and Analytics, and moderated by Nicholas Abram, a College of Engineering and Architecture computer science junior and Karsh STEM scholar. The panel included U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-MD); U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA); and College of Engineering and Architecture Dean Kimberly L. Jones, Ph.D. View this post on Instagram As the release notes, Washington opened the event by emphasizing the importance of preparing students for an AI-driven future. She highlighted new AI courses debuting this spring, an AI certificate...

Grambling State University (GSU) criminal justice major Janiah Tims graduated on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, with a decorated resume — and a graduation cap to match. With a 3.94 GPA, Tims graduated as valedictorian and the highest-ranking student of GSU’s Fall 2025 class, Grambling State News reports . She completed her degree in just two and a half years, having entered college with 21 dual-enrollment credits earned while attending Bastrop High School in Bastrop, LA. Although the curriculum was “pretty hard,” Tims said it helped prepare her for success as she arrived at the Historically Black College and University, per the outlet. “I was really doing the same kind of work in the dual enrollment courses that I ended up doing in college,” Tims told Grambling State News. “So there really wasn’t a big difference.” Tims said she completed most of her core college requirements through dual enrollment, including English 101 and 102, History 101 and 102, Music Appreciation, and Psychology 102....

A major new investment from billionaire Michael Bloomberg is helping expand educational access for Black students through a partnership that brings K–12 learning directly to the campuses of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). Bloomberg Philanthropies, together with the national education organization City Fund, has committed $20 million ($10 million each) to support public charter schools and connect students with early college opportunities at nearby HBCUs, according to a press release. The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) will be a key partner in the effort. Forbes notes that the new funding supports two schools in Alabama’s Black Belt region, an area historically underserved in public education. The first is the D.C. Wolfe Charter School in Shorter, a redevelopment of the former D.C. Wolfe Elementary School that is expected to open in fall 2026, just minutes from Tuskegee University. The second, I Dream Big Academy, opened in August 2025 on the campus of Stillman...

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....

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...

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...

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...

Spelman College is expanding its partnership with the National Education Opportunity Network (NEON), formerly known as the National Education Equity Lab. The collaboration provides high school students from Title I schools — those serving large numbers of low-income families — with access to college-level courses for credit, according to a university press release. Since launching in spring 2023, the partnership has grown significantly, from one course with 50 students to nearly 300 students enrolled across two Spelman-led classes in 2025. To date, the initiative has reached more than 767 high school scholars from 47 schools in 19 cities, including New York City; Nashville, TN; Jackson, MS; Charleston, SC; and Washington, DC. The first course, “The Education of Black Girls,” was developed and taught by Andrea Lewis, Ph.D., director of Spelman’s Student Success Program and associate professor of education. The class allows high school students to explore identity, race, gender, and...