Welcome To
Culture, Academics, Hope,
About The Conference
The HBCU Aging Conference is co-organized by the Black in Gerontology and Geriatrics Inc. (BIGG) and the Gerontological Society of America’s (GSA) HBCU Collaborative Interest Group.
The conference aims to provide emerging and early career scientists from HBCUs with opportunities for collaborative mentoring/partnership building, facilitated networking opportunities with mid-to senior-level scholars in gerontology or related disciplines, best practices in conducting research, publishing, advocacy, professional development, and leadership experiences and opportunities in gerontology or related disciplines.
History of HBCUs
HBCUs represent approximately 2.3% of all institutions of higher learning (101 total). Most HBCUs were established in the late 1800s, with the majority founded between 1865–1900. They were originally created to provide education and training opportunities for students of African descent, including free-born individuals and emancipated slaves.
Today, HBCUs offer a wide range of academic programs and degrees:
59% offer undergraduate degrees
41% offer graduate degrees
28% offer doctoral degrees
HBCUs produce a significant share of Black undergraduate degree earners in key fields:
Engineering: 18%
Biological Sciences: 31%
Mathematics: 31%
Agricultural Sciences: 42%
Health Professions: 17%
Eleven HBCUs are among the top 15 institutions graduating the most Black students in the physical sciences. Of the top 10 institutions producing Black PhDs in science and engineering, eight are HBCUs.
Role of HBCUs in Gerontology
HBCUs have an important role in preparing emerging scholars and professionals entering the aging field. This is recognized with the Gerontological Society of America’s Program of Merit, a voluntary program of evaluation of institutions offering gerontology programs and/or health professions programs whose curricula integrates gerontology/geriatrics content.
The Program of Merit designation gives gerontology and health profession programs an Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE) “stamp of excellence”. Of the 17 institutions receiving this honorable distinction, two are HBCUs (Bethune-Cookman University; Winston-Salem State
University).
Purpose of HBCU Aging Conference
The HBCU Aging conference is designed to target early-career HBCU scholars, including undergraduate students, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and faculties. To inspire interest and commitment among HBCU scholars, this conference will provide a community of aging experts such as researchers, practitioners, national and grassroots organizations, advocates, and participating scholars.
The conference is intentionally created to offer spaces where early careerists in the field of aging can continue to critically unpack the ‘nuanced nature’ of Black aging — ranging from social vulnerabilities resulting from racism and ageism— to resilience and thriving even when confronted with systemic disadvantages.
The conference will create pathways for HBCU scholars to successfully be part of the aging field by providing an avenue for knowledge exchange, sustainable skills advancement, leadership, accessing training supports, and mentorship.
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