SHE Leads initiative supports women HBCU presidents in endowment growth

UNCF celebrated the launch of their new SHE (Supporting Higher Education) Leads initiative on October 24 and 30. The initiative, founded by Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole, former president of Spelman College and Bennett College and a co-chair of UNCF’s A Moment to a Movement capital campaign, aims to support women HBCU presidents in elevating their institutions and broadening their networks and communities.

“The work of UNCF is sacred work because it involves helping students … to excel in critical thinking, to make a good living, to prepare for a good life, and of course to be of service to their communities,” said Dr. Cole in her welcome address to attendees.

For generations, HBCU presidents have provided students with the opportunity to advance academically, socially, and economically. This legacy takes resources, and for women leaders, the hill is often steeper. As part of UNCF’s capital campaign, SHE Leads is building a diverse coalition to support women leaders in serving their HBCUs.

“When women lead our institutions, they do so with grace—amazing grace. They do so with grit and with a deep, deep commitment to using education as a means to help to change the world. But let me be clear … vision requires resources and passion. It demands investment,” said Dr. Cole.

At two events, guests filled The Jessie in Jacksonville, Fla., and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York to network and mingle with capital campaign leaders, including SHE Leads administrator Dr. Gia Bazil Soublet, SHE Leads co-chair Dr. Roslyn Artis, and UNCF President Dr. Michael Lomax. Guests also interacted with other HBCU presidents and thought leaders, including Stephanie Ackler, Sharlee Jeter, Mari Kuraishi, Tonya Lewis Lee, and Mariko Silver.

“These extraordinary women presidents are remarkable leaders. Their leadership and stewardship of these communities, of these young minds, of these young people, and of their development, brings us new perspectives in the world,” said Silver, president and CEO of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. “They model, every day, the kind of leadership we hope to see in the world, and we need to help them do that.”

As part of the capital campaign, UNCF has established a pooled endowment to provide unrestricted funding that will support maintenance, talent acquisition, programs, and overall resilience of member institutions. UNCF will make an initial investment of $185 million. In turn, member institutions have been asked to raise a combined match of the same amount ($5 million per institution), thus doubling the initial investment to $370 million in pooled funds.

Outreach to networks is a primary fundraising means for many institution leaders, and women presidents must articulate an ambitious vision for their institution to secure the resources needed to make that vision a reality.

“When women are supported, our children do better, our communities do better, and our universities will do better. Our HBCUs are critical to our communities,” said Tonya Lewis Lee, an award-winning author, producer, and entrepreneur. “Further, our Black women presidents need our support. They need to know that we are there holding them up.”

To learn more about the SHE Leads initiative and how you can support it, visit https://uncf.org/capital-campaign/homepage.