Two students working on laptops on campus library

Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute

The Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute, FDPRI, is the nation’s foremost research organization focusing on the educational status of African Americans from pre-school to and through college.

Committed to understanding and expanding the pathways that lead to educational attainment, FDPRI conducts and disseminates research that informs policymakers, educators, philanthropists and the general public on how to best improve educational opportunities for and outcomes of African Americans and other underrepresented minorities across the pre-school-through-college-graduation pipeline.

Group shot of the 2018 STEM Scholars conference attendeesThe  HBCU Effect® Research Series—by the Numbers

The “HBCU Effect” seeks to understand, validate and promote the success of HBCUs to develop a counter narrative that illustrates the value and competitiveness of our institutions.

The HBCU Effect: An Exploration of HBCU Alumni’s Peer Networks and Workforce Outcomes

HBCU students report greater academic and social gains for Black students. Yet, limited information exists regarding workforce outcomes for Black HBCU alumni. This study addresses gaps in knowledge about workforce outcomes at HBCUs by exploring how social experiences and networks aect the academic and workforce experiences of Black HBCU alumni.

Read the brief here.

 

 

Our Research and Reports

3 Spelman College students working at a white board

FDPRI: Who We Are

FDPRI research has one goal: helping more African American and other underrepresented minority students get to and through college.
Frederick Douglass Patterson with two other men

A History of Accomplishments

Since its inception in 1996, FDPRI has made great strides in the development of research on African Americans in education.
Young child and her mother doing homework on laptop

Whom Do You Trust When it Comes to Your Child’s Education?

When we asked low-income African American parents whose judgment they most respected on matters relating to their children's education, they did not cite authorities or experts. They cited other, more knowledgeable parents.

Read More

Our Member Colleges are Affordable

UNCF HBCUs in a High-Priced College Environment

UNCF-member colleges lead the way in helping to ensure that low-income students are not priced out of an essential education in today’s economy. The FDPRI report, Lower Costs, Higher Returns, reinforces what the historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) community has long known: the 37 UNCF-member institutions continue to offer a reasonably priced education, one that in the 2012-2013 academic year cost 26 percent less than that offered by peer institutions.

Read more about the impact of HBCUs in America

Read More

Make an Investment in Education

Help move students to and through college by investing in UNCF’s Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute, a go-to source of information on the African American educational experience, HBCUs and their value proposition.

Donate Now