Commentary: How Spanberger Can Improve Virginia’s HBCUs

Virginia’s five Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have long served as engines of opportunity for Black students and as pillars of local economic growth. The schools enroll roughly 15,000 students and produce many of the state’s Black graduates in STEM, education, and public service.

The five colleges are:

• Hampton University, a private institution founded in 1868, is recognized for programs in business, health sciences, and engineering. 
• Norfolk State, a public university established in 1935, emphasizes research and urban education. 
• Virginia State University, a land-grant college dating to 1882, focuses on agriculture and teacher preparation. 
• Virginia Union University, founded in 1865, is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches and strong in theology and social work. 
• Virginia University of Lynchburg, the smallest, continues a religious and community-leadership tradition begun in 1886.

I spoke with Kevin Matthews II, founder of BuildingBread and an alumni of Hampton University, who shared “I am pleased that the Virginia Governor-Elect has pledged to support HBCUs in the state. HBCUs have been an economic engine for the nation that deserves more investment. We contributed almost $17B to the economy in 2024, and produce 70% of all Black doctors and half of all Black dentists while being only 3% of the total Black college population.”

“Had it not been for Hampton University, I would not have found a career in finance and would not be the person I am today. In fact, BuildingBread exists because of a 2010 summer internship program.”

Collectively, these campuses not only educate students but also employ thousands of staff and contribute to regional industries from shipbuilding to information technology.

Building Pathways From High School To College

One of Spanberger’s campaign initiatives centered on strengthening connections between Virginia’s K-12 schools and its HBCUs. As governor, she could order the Virginia Department of Education to launch an “HBCU Bridge Program” linking high schools with nearby campuses through dual-enrollment courses, mentoring, and college-readiness advising.

Such an initiative could target rural and urban districts with low college-attendance rates, offering students the chance to earn college credits while in high school. Her first biennial budget, due in early 2026, could include seed funding for scholarships tied to these partnerships, particularly for students from low-income backgrounds.

Spanberger could also direct the Virginia Secretary of Education to convene an annual summit with school superintendents and HBCU admissions leaders to track enrollment pipelines and identify barriers. Data from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) could guide outreach and show whether the new bridges are working.

These steps would formalize what many educators have advocated for years: a clear, supported route from Virginia’s public schools into its historically Black colleges.

Creating A Talent Pipeline

Spanberger has said she will instruct her Secretary of Education to work directly with HBCU presidents on an action plan linking these institutions to Virginia’s economic strategy. By appointing a secretary with HBCU leadership experience, she could ensure the plan moves quickly from vision to implementation.

The plan could emphasize workforce sectors where Virginia faces shortages (cybersecurity, healthcare, and green energy) and position HBCUs as training hubs. It could tie measurable goals, such as higher graduation rates and more employer partnerships, to the state’s broader economic-development objectives under the Virginia Economic Development Partnership.

Federal programs already exist to support this work. The Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities Program distributed $1.34 billion nationwide in 2025. By coordinating with Virginia’s congressional delegation, Spanberger could help the state’s HBCUs compete for a larger share of those funds and use them to build joint research centers or expand internships with regional employers.

Such an initiative would make Virginia one of the few states to explicitly integrate HBCUs into its workforce-development strategy, echoing efforts seen recently in North Carolina and Maryland.

Addressing Funding Issues

The financial disparities facing HBCUs are well-documented. Public Black land-grant institutions nationwide have been underfunded by an estimated $13 billion over the past century, including Virginia State University. Federal officials raised the issue in 2023, urging states to close the gaps.

Spanberger has pledged to confront these inequities directly. One prior proposal was an HBCU Equity Fund (an annual $50 million to $100 million line item in the 2026-2028 budget) to support campus renovations, competitive faculty pay, and student scholarships. The fund could be modeled after Maryland’s settlement with its HBCUs, which committed $577 million over a decade to correct historical underfunding.

To establish the fund, Spanberger could commission an independent audit through SCHEV comparing per-student funding at HBCUs with that at other institutions such as Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia. The audit’s findings would give lawmakers a data-driven basis for revising the state’s higher-education funding formula.

Public support appears strong: a 2024 poll found 78 percent of Virginians favor sustained state funding for HBCU operations. With bipartisan backing, Spanberger could pair moral urgency with economic pragmatism – arguing that well-resourced HBCUs are not only fair but also essential to the state’s long-term workforce competitiveness.

Measuring The Impact

If implemented effectively, Spanberger’s agenda could raise Black college attainment in Virginia by 10 to 15 percent over her term, according to some projections. Expanded pipelines and modernized campuses would not only benefit students but also strengthen the state’s economy through job creation and talent retention.

For families, these changes could mean greater access to scholarships, clearer routes to degrees, and improved facilities. For the institutions, it could signal a long-awaited recognition that their contributions to Virginia’s prosperity deserve full and equitable support.

Spanberger’s success will depend on translating campaign promises into sustained funding and measurable outcomes. But if she can combine budget leverage, executive leadership, and public accountability, Virginia’s HBCUs could emerge stronger than at any point in their 150-year history – anchoring a more inclusive future for the state’s students and workforce alike.

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