WILBERFORCE — Central State University, Ohio’s only public historically Black university, has been awarded $1.7 million through a one-time Supplemental Historically Black Colleges and Universities Grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
The university announced the award in a Sept. 29 press release, saying the federal dollars will strengthen the institution and expand educational opportunities for students. “We are grateful the administration recognizes the vital impact HBCUs have on students and communities, and we are ready to put these resources to work to support our students, empower our faculty, and advance our mission,” said Central State President Morakinyo A.O. Kuti.
The funding is part of more than $174 million the Education Department said it would send to historically Black colleges and universities, along with $61 million for tribal colleges. The department described the awards as one-time investments redirected from programs that funded Hispanic-serving and other minority-serving institutions, which the department abruptly canceled in September 2025, calling them unconstitutionally discriminatory because they require colleges to enroll a certain percentage of students from a particular racial or ethnic background to qualify.
Founded in 1887 and designated an Ohio land-grant university in 2014, Central State has served generations of Ohio students, particularly first-generation college students from the Dayton and Cincinnati regions.
Kuti said the university is “on a strong upward trajectory” and that the new funding will further strengthen an institution that “for more than a century has opened doors for countless Ohio students.”
The grant arrives as Central State continues investing in academic programs and student services aimed at improving retention and graduation rates. University officials said the money will advance key initiatives tied to both the campus and the student experience, though they have not yet detailed how each dollar will be spent.
