White House Taps VSU President for Board Position
The White House has selected Virginia State University President, Dr. Makola M. Abdullah to serve on the U.S. President’s Board of Advisors (PBA) on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The Board is part of the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
The White House has selected Virginia State University President, Dr. Makola M. Abdullah to serve on the U.S. President’s Board of Advisors (PBA) on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The Board is part of the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
The mission of the PBA is to strengthen the capacity of HBCUs to provide the highest-quality education, increase opportunities for these institutions to participate in and benefit from federal programs, and ensure that HBCUs can continue to be engines of opportunity.
"This initiative gives me an opportunity, in my capacity as VSU President, to also work closely with the Executive Office of the U.S. President on key administration priorities related to advancing educational equity, excellence, and economic opportunities for HBCUs,” said VSU President, Dr. Makola M. Abdullah. “I am proud to serve on this Board which allows me to continue to advocate for the transformative work of HBCUs.”
The Board issues an Annual Federal Plan for Assistance to HBCUs to President Joe Biden. It also provides advice to the Secretary of Education and makes recommendations in reports to the President on how to increase the private sector role in strengthening HBCUs to ensure the goal of long-term viability and enhancement of these institutions.
The Presidential appointees include representatives of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, other institutions of higher education, business and financial institutions, private foundations, and secondary education.