The HBCU UJIMA Collective Wraps the Annual Planning Meeting at Howard University
June 2026 | HBCU UJIMA Collective
The HBCU UJIMA Collective wrapped up its annual planning meeting at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and if the energy in the room was any indication, the project is hitting its stride.
The gathering brought together the five principal investigators leading this NSF-funded initiative: Dr. Jarralynne Agee (Miles College), Dr. Kimberley Freeman (Howard University), Dr. Michael Nettles (Morgan State University), Dr. Catherine Armwood (Tennessee State University), and Dr. Rashunda Stitt Richardson (Winston-Salem State University). Also in attendance was Tangela Towns, Co-PI from Winston-Salem State University, along with graduate students representing the next generation of HBCU researchers and research administrators that this project is built to develop.
The team was also joined virtually by their NSF Program Officer, who offered valuable direction and guidance for the year ahead, a reminder that the Collective's work is closely supported at the federal level and aligned with national priorities in research capacity and workforce development. The Collective is supported in its evaluation work by UM Consultants, led by Dr. Kimberley Broomfield-Massey, CEO & Principal Consultant, and Dr. Tiffany Young, Research & Evaluation Manager, who provide rigorous external evaluation to ensure the project's impact is measured and meaningful.
A Renewed Commitment to Research Capacity at HBCUs
The UJIMA Collective — whose name draws from the Swahili principle of collective work and responsibility — is built on a simple but powerful idea: HBCUs can grow their own research corps. By investing in faculty, graduate students, undergraduate researchers, and research administrators from within the HBCU community, the Collective is building a sustainable pipeline of research talent that will strengthen institutions for years to come.
This year's meeting deepened that commitment. Across two days of collaborative planning, the team reviewed progress, aligned on priorities, and charted a clear course forward. It was exactly the kind of intentional, focused work that the project was designed to model.
And honestly? No one wanted to leave Howard's campus when the meeting concluded.
What's Next: Eyes on Fall 2026
The Collective is moving into an exciting stretch of activity. Coming up:
Survey analysis. Baseline surveys of faculty and students on HBCU research capacity are being finalized and analyzed. These results will inform training design and help the team understand where institutions are starting, and where they need to go.
Student Research Symposium — June 2026. Graduate and undergraduate students from across the five campuses will come together to present their work, connect with peers, and build the kind of cross-institutional research community that is central to the GYO "Grow Your Own" model.
Fall Training Workshops. Cohort-based training in research skills, grant writing, and research administration will launch in the fall — serving undergraduate students, graduate students, and research staff alike.
Faculty and Staff Writing Retreats. Faculty members and research staff will have dedicated time and structured support for grant proposal development and scholarly writing, a cornerstone of Goal 5 in the project's strategic plan.
The HBCU UJIMA Collective is more than a grant. It is a commitment — made collectively, across five campuses and three years — to transform what research looks like at HBCUs. One student, one faculty member, one institution at a time.
For more information about the HBCU UJIMA Collective, visit hbcuarc.com.
This work is supported by the National Science Foundation under Awards #2430319–#2430323. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of NSF.
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