Why UNCF Students Need Help
The economy: The ongoing economic crisis has had disproportionately severe effects on the low-income students at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). They are among the first to suffer from economic hard times.
Current fees unpaid: Students at UNCF schools, whose financial arrangements seemed set when they enrolled this academic year, are unable to pay tuition, fees, books and room and board for upcoming semesters.
Unpaid balances: So far, our colleges have reported that our students are carrying over $16 million in unpaid balances on tuitions, room and board and fees. Students and families are learning that they will be unable to secure additional loans and, in some cases, unable to fulfill student loan commitments.
Impact on our students: Without support, students will be forced to discontinue their college education. And, once they leave they are not likely to return: UNCF's many years of experience teaches us that students, who are forced to suspend their education for lack of funds, will find their lives diverted in other directions and will never return.
Family contributions: Job loss and salary reduction have sharply reduced family contributions. To complete their degrees, most HBCU students combine grants and loans to fund their education. A very small percentage get help from their parents, and others work retail or fast food jobs to make tuition. Most UNCF students come from families with annual incomes less than $30,000.
Salary impact: In today's economy, almost every career capable of supporting a family requires at least a college degree. College graduates' average salary, immediately after graduation and throughout their careers, is approximately twice the income earned by their high school graduate counterparts.
Community impact: The impact of the termination of college careers for students at UNCF institutions will ripple through communities and through the economy. These young men and women are students today, but tomorrow they will be the professionals our country needs.
Future US Prosperity: Our students will be the ones to lead the next great wave of prosperity in the US. And for their communities and for the nation, they are our next generation of local, state and nation leaders.
US Workforce in 2050: Today, African Americans and other minority group members represent approximately a third of the American workforce. By 2050, minority groups will constitute 54 percent of the work force. Within just a few decades, our communities and our economy will depend on a minority workforce that drives our economy, work that overwhelmingly requires college training.
