WASHIGNTON, DC--White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, spoke at the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities’ two-day national conference commemorating National Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Week on September 19 and 20 in Washington, D.C. This year’s conference, “HBCUs: Engaging the World Anew,” featured a variety of panel discussions and speeches focusing on international affairs, honors programs, minority presence in the workforce, technology and innovation, working with small businesses, and developing partnerships.

Stillman President Dr. Ernest McNealey, along with  Lenny Springs, SURSD; and representatives from the U.S. Department of Treasury and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), served as a panelist for the discussion, “Community Development: Are HBCUs Taking Full Advance of TitleIV?” John S. Wilson, the executive director of the White House Initiative on HBCUs, opened the conference and discussed the education agenda and how their work helps to drive reform. Secretary Duncan delivered the keynote and addressed the key role that HBCUs play in helping America reach President Obama’s goal of leading the world in college completion by 2020. He also commended the progress that HBCUs have made and encouraged them to continue working to prepare students for jobs of the future to ensure that America has a robust, well educated workforce.

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