ATLANTA— The leadership of Sigma Pi Phi fraternity — also known as the Boulé — has made good on its promise to focus its attention on the current state of the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities.
The focus, which has gained momentum under the leadership of Dr. Gregory J. Vincent, was on full display on Saturday, when the fraternity hosted a day long forum at Morehouse College dedicated to strategizing and providing best practices on how to recruit, retain and graduate Black students from these storied institutions.
Three panels included experts on HBCUs who also focused on leadership and governance, professional schools and federal, state and external challenges and opportunities for HBCUs. 
U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor delivered the keynote address.
“I’ve been a member of the Boulé for several decades and the Boulé is making a focus on HBCUs and I think that’s an appropriate focus,” said Scott in an interview with Diverse. “HBCUs provide a significant portion of higher education opportunities for minorities and for African-Americans and we need to make sure that they stay alive, particularly in light of the attacks on affirmative action that are going on now in the courts.”
Dr. Michael Lomax, president of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) said that he has been a member of the Boulé for three decades and said that the UNCF has a strong relationship with the fraternity, manages a scholarship for them and has partnered on a number of philanthropic initiatives, including one in Dallas.
“What I am excited about is that this is really such an extraordinary network of high achieving African-American males who have influence all around the country,” said Lomax. “They’re beginning to look at how strategically to leverage their influence on behalf of issues they’re concerned about and higher education is one of them.”
