The HBCU Media Training Symposium: Owning the Narrative
Who Owns the HBCU Story? Building, Protecting, and Advancing the Narrative
Why Controlling the HBCU Narrative Is Now Mission-Critical
Data without a story is a missed opportunity; a story without data is vulnerable. For historically Black colleges and universities, narrative control is no longer a communications preference, it is a strategic requirement tied directly to enrollment, advancement, and legislative funding.
The HBCU Media Training Symposium is designed to transform how campuses communicate their value. Leaders will learn to claim sovereignty over their institutional data and convert those metrics into compelling, undeniable human stories that elevate faculty, staff, and student achievement.
Featured Topics
HBCUs and the Black Press
Communicating Through a Crisis
Leveraging Institutional Data for Advancement
Institutional Storytelling through Athletics
Communication is Everyone's Job
Branding & Social Media for Small Comms Shops
Telling the Story That Matters
Date: Friday, August 21, 2026
Time: 10 AM – 4:30 PM EST
Location: Virginia State University, Black Box Theatre 20903 University Ave, Ettrick, Virginia 23806
Format: One-day intensive, in-person symposium
Audience: Presidents, Chancellors, CCOs, Advancement VPs, Board Members
Registration Cost: $79 (full-day training, materials, all sessions)
Through grant funding, travel stipends will be awarded to 20 leaders to offset flight or hotel costs and support national representation across the cohort.
Questions: Email Autumn Arnett at autumn@theeduledger.com
Featured Speakers
Dr. Cheryl Mango
Dr. Clara Ross Stamps
Dr. Rhonda Sharpe
Steven J. Gaither
Dr. Gwen Williams Dandridge
Danielle Wright
Autumn A. Arnett