Pennsylvania Black Conference on Higher Education

The 54 th Annual Conference of the Pennsylvania Black Conference on Higher Education was held on May 29 – 30, 2025 and was hosted by Arcadia University, who also plays a vital role in educating the next generation of leaders, advancing the regions workforce development, and generating breakthrough discoveries.

The conference theme, “Facing Our Future Together: A New Way Forward”, facilitated deep enriching conversations around the changing climate of higher education: funding, access, retention and success for African Americans and other underrepresented groups. It explored critical issues of how diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and activities within our campuses affect students, staff, and faculty across our communities. Over the past decade, there have been unique changes in how communities of color have been excluded, and we must name and address them if we have any chance of countering the negative policies that the PBCOHE members have witnessed.

Moreover, we discussed PBCOHE’s focus and strategies in the coming years that are necessary to assist members, stakeholders, and partners address these  concerns. PBCOHE is seeking to learn from leaders, faculty, staff, and graduate students whose work examines or addresses the impact of DEI policies and activities on their campus, practice, pedagogy, and/or research. These works
may include policies or research on anticipated policies, innovations involving recruitment, admission and retention efforts, advancements in technology and online learning, or national or local educational practices or programs, and how minority students might benefit from or be hindered by these policies, forces, or changes in the coming years.

Thank you for joining us as we celebrated fifty-five years of service, leadership, and scholarship.

2025 Conference Planning Committee
Dr. Stephen Jones and Mrs. Cherylyn Rush, Co-Chairs