Eight HBCUs Receive Funding to Explore Innovative Partnerships on Improving Mental Health among College Students of Color
The Transformational Partnerships Fund (TPF) awarded $50,000 to eight Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to pursue collaborative efforts to improve mental health support for their students. The HBCUs received the funding during the “Ideation, Innovation and Collaboration: The Future of HBCUs” conference hosted by the Higher Education Leadership Foundation, on May 31-June 2, 2022, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Attendees representing HBCU leaders from across the country were given the opportunity to connect with potential collaborators through ideation sessions that were held over the course of three days. Fourteen proposals were developed and submitted, representing a range of ideas for cross-institutional collaboration, covering student affairs and enrollment, athletics, academic affairs, business and finance and institutional advancement. The two selected ideas will explore partnerships that aim to improve mental health of students across a total of eight HBCUs. Many of those who did not receive awards will be invited to apply for future funding.
Established in 2021 by ECMC Foundation and SeaChange Capital Partners, with additional founding support from Ascendium Education Group, The Kresge Foundation and The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, the TPF is the first of its kind, providing colleges and universities support to explore student-centric partnerships and collaborations that could meaningfully transform how they operate and enhance their ability to provide reliable, high-quality educational opportunities for students.
