EP162: Sustaining HBCUs Beyond the Moment: Inside UNCF's Transformation Strategy

Jan 29, 2026

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In this episode of In The Margins, we are joined by Julian Thompson, Senior Director for Strategy Development, and Rev. Dr. Darryl Ann Lai Fang, Assistant Vice President for Transformation Support at the UNCF Institute for Capacity Building, for a deep dive into what long-term sustainability truly requires for HBCUs.

As the institute approaches its 20th anniversary, Thompson and Dr. Lai Fang reflect on how UNCF's work has evolved from discrete technical assistance to a holistic, networked transformation model designed to help institutions move from survival to sustained impact. Their conversation with The EDU Ledger host David Pluviose explores executive leadership stability, board governance, data-informed decision-making, and why collaboration (not isolation) is now essential in a volatile political and economic landscape.

From change management and presidential support to career pathways, accreditation-aligned initiatives, and the future role of AI in higher education, this episode offers a candid, experience-driven look at how HBCUs can strengthen their foundations without losing their mission.

KEY POINTS

The founding and evolution of the UNCF Institute for Capacity Building as UNCF's innovation arm
Why discrete solutions fail, and how holistic transformation drives sustainability
The impact of leadership turnover and the urgent need for board governance alignment
Findings from UNCF's Stable Leadership report and what it reveals about presidential tenure
How networked approaches are replacing siloed decision-making across HBCUs
Why institutions are seeking UNCF partnerships beyond funding alone
Career pathways, accreditation, and embedding transformation into institutional DNA
The next frontier: data strategy, AI readiness, and multiple revenue streams for HBCUs

QUOTABLES

"HBCUs are a miracle in a certain way — in terms of the way that they've been able to sustain with limited resources and still deliver transcendent value." – Julian Thompson

"Instead of focusing on what institutions do not have, we changed our language to: what can the institution do with what they have?" – Rev. Dr. Darryl Ann Lai Fang

"We're basically waking up every day thinking about the future of HBCUs … about the systems, the policies, the approaches, the partnerships, the technologies, the communities of practice, the cultures, the ways of being that can help HBCUs get to a place where their long-term sustainability is assured." – Julian Thompson

"We cannot continue working as if we are independent. There are healthy dependencies that we need to create." Rev. Dr. Darryl Ann Lai Fang

GUEST RESOURCES:

UNCF Report Reveals HBCU Presidents Serve Nearly Two Years Less Than National Average | The EDU Ledger

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Closed captioning and a live show transcription are available in the video for this episode.

In The Margins is produced by The EDU Ledger and edited by EPYC Media Network (visit at https://www.epyc.co/).