Roxbury Community College isn't officially an HBCU, but it's getting federal money like one

ROXBURY - It's commonly known that there are no Historically Black Colleges and Universities in New England, or so we thought.

"I was calling it a historically black college because that word just defines that it's historically black," Steps to Success advisor Adebukola Ajoa told WBZ-TV when asked her opinion on Roxbury Community College.

It all started with her tweet.  

"RCC is very much a HBCU in a way. Their mission doesn't state that, but that's what it happens to be because of their demographic," Ajoa said.

I wondered how could someone use a scholarship meant for Historically Black Colleges and Universities at Roxbury Community College? There's currently no HBCUs in New England. But she was able to help a high school student receive a scholarship designated for HBCU applicants for RCC, because of a little-known program from the federal government.

"It [her tweet] went viral because, come to find out, RCC is more so a PBI but some scholarships are friendly to PBIs," she explained.

There was the answer to my question. While RCC isn't officially an HBCU, in 2021 the federal Department of Education classified them as a Predominately Black Institution, or PBI. That means they receive formula grants to specifically target Black students' educational success.

Eighty-percent of their student population are people of color. "Sixty-percent of our students are Black students and it's really wonderful walking through the campus to see the diversity here," said RCC Interim President Jackie Jenkins-Scott.

How do the students feel about the designation?

"It feels phenomenal. Even last night one of the students looked at me and said 'I love being here at RCC' and I said 'Why?,' and she said it's like a community here, it's like a family," RCC Student Government President Haqikah Greaves told WBZ.

RCC will receive $250,000 annually from the Department of Education for the next five years for their PBI designation. They plan to use it to develop and entrepreneurship and innovation center for students.

"When our Black community is thriving, the rest of the city will thrive," Jenkins-Scott said.

RCC's president said they're proud that the college is reflective of the diverse Boston community and the neighborhood they serve. They're constantly looking at how the college can best serve their students.

"I would hope that New Englanders would be proud because we're very proud of having that designation. And proud that we have a thriving institution that's serving this population," Jenkins-Scott said.

They're really embracing their similarities to an HBCU, even planning a traditional HBCU-like homecoming next year for their 50th anniversary.