“It’s an exciting day for us. We’ve been waiting for this day for two years now, and finally we have it,” said Simmons President Dr. Kevin W. Cosby Monday.
Despite the fact that Simmons was originally founded as an institution of education for Black students seeking an education in Kentucky in 1869, according to Department of Education officials, HBCU designation can be fluid.
“Generally, an HBCU loses its status as a Part B institution because the institution loses its accreditation,” said assistant press secretary of the Department of Education Denise Horn.
Simmons was reaccredited in February 2014 by the Association of Biblical Higher Education, thus making it eligible for federal designation as an HBCU.
What does the new HBCU designation mean for Simmons College?
“Simmons is now eligible to apply for Title III capital grant monies, which are exciting funds that have been designated $1.1 billion just for Historically Black Colleges,” Simmons College COO Robert Harvey said.
