UNCF Expands ACCLAIM Mission To Extra HBCUs

[ad_1] by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman February 4, 2026

Mission ACCLAIM will introduce college students at FAMU and Morgan State to the alternatives surrounding asset administration.

The United Negro Faculty Fund (UNCF) has expanded its Mission ACCLAIM to assist extra HBCUs get into asset administration.

The UNCF introduced the information on Feb. 3, as college students from Morgan State and Florida A&M College can now enter its expertise pipeline for this profitable trade. Mission ACCLAIM, which stands for Accelerating Studying in Asset Funding Administration, has fostered a community of HBCU college students to discover careers on this sector.

Established final 12 months with Morehouse Faculty and Howard College, the sponsor-backed initiative has supported HBCU students with monetary data {and professional} sources to thrive of their postgraduate careers. Following the preliminary $10 million reward from Adage Capital Administration and Elizabeth and Phill Gross to launch the challenge, the philanthropists have donated one other $10 million to the UNCF enterprise.

With this newest enhance of economic help, college students from these latest member establishments will handle $4 million in funding capital, garnering hands-on expertise in asset administration. Past skilled readiness, Mission ACCLAIM additionally champions schooling entry, employment fairness, and honest wages by its programming.

Black professionals in wealth administration stay underrepresented on this trade. Based on 2022 figures from Wealth Administration by Informa, Black licensed private monetary advisors account for 1.9% of all CFP professionals. As for various management within the personal fairness area, Black folks solely held 8% of managing director roles that 12 months, as detailed by Institutional Investor.

Now, this expertise pipeline goals to course-correct these numbers, making HBCU students eager about finance, enterprise, and asset administration extra aggressive candidates for this discipline.

“This growth marks a major milestone for Mission ACCLAIM and is very significant as we have fun 100 years of Black Historical past and keep in mind Dr. King’s imaginative and prescient for financial empowerment,” mentioned Dr. Shawn Thomas, director of Funding Management Packages and Lead for Mission ACCLAIM, in a press launch shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE. “Morgan State and Florida A&M each convey distinctive expertise and management to the HBCU group and so they each convey distinctive expertise and management to the HBCU group and their participation strengthens our shared dedication to making ready college students for top‑impression careers.”

As for Mission ACCLAIM’s newest cohort, officers at each FAMU and Morgan State celebrated the information, which brings extra profitable alternatives to their college students.

“We claimed it! Members throughout the complete FAMUly – college students, school, President Johnson, different directors, exterior stakeholders – helped to convey this chance residence to FAMU. We’re all excited to work collectively to comprehend the potential of superlative instruments and sources within the fingers of our keen and proficient FAMU college students,” mentioned Program Director Inger Daniels-Hollar, Ph.D., assistant professor, FAMU College of Enterprise and Trade.

Because the UNCF prepares to introduce extra funding expertise throughout the HBCU community, students are on the point of break new ceilings in asset administration.

“Mission ACCLAIM creates a unprecedented studying surroundings the place concept meets actual duty,” mentioned George Micheni, director of the Earl G. Graves College of Enterprise and Administration’s Capital Markets Lab and advisor to the Morgan State College Funding Membership. “Working alongside school, trade mentors and an funding advisory board, they may acquire the self-discipline, judgment and confidence required to handle actual capital whereas creating expertise that translate instantly into their post-graduation careers.”