Howard University Celebrates Unprecedented Progress Through Howard Forward Initiative

Dear Howard University Community,

This week we announced a series of major milestones and achievements under our Howard Forward 2024 strategic plan, highlighting our beloved University's ongoing commitment to academic excellence, innovation, community service, efficiency, and financial sustainability. These accomplishments, outlined in a three-year Howard Forward progress report in the Chronicle of Higher Education, solidify Howard's position as a leading institution in higher education and a global force for change. We appreciate your continued support as we work together to make Howard University an even stronger institution for future generations.

Read the three-year Howard Forward progress report

Here are some highlights from our progress across the five pillars of Howard Forward:

Enhancing Academic Excellence

Since the launch of Howard Forward in 2019, the University has introduced more than 10 new centers of learning, including the Center for Applied Data Science and Analytics; Center for Democracy and Journalism; and Center for Women, Gender and Global Leadership.

Howard has also increased its one-year retention rate to 90% in 2020 and we are on track to reach our goal of 95% by Fall 2024.

Today, Howard’s tuition and fees are 50% lower than institutions with similar rankings and 64% lower than private institutions in the Washington metropolitan area. As a result, a Howard education is now a better investment than ever, with three out of four students graduating with graduate school acceptances or employment in their fields of study. According to recent studies, Howard graduates make $15,000 more than their peers from comparable universities.

The University's dedication to academic excellence has garnered national recognition and accolades, including a No. 30 ranking on U.S. News & World Report's 2022 list of “Most Innovative Schools” and a No. 3 ranking on Bloomberg Businessweek's diversity index.

Inspiring New Knowledge

Howard has surpassed our goal of securing $100 million in research funding by 2024, with a record-breaking $122 million in funding in fiscal year 2022.

In January 2023, Howard became the first HBCU contracted by the Pentagon to establish a University Affiliated Research Center (UARC), a major milestone for our University and the nation.

Our faculty and students have secured groundbreaking research grants and awards from organizations such as the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Serving the Community

Howard’s Alternative Spring Break (HUASB) and Day of Service initiatives have expanded, allowing students to connect with disadvantaged communities and engage in service-learning and civic engagement.

Howard has partnered with corporations such as Marriott International, PNC, Chase, Mastercard, and Google to secure significant investments in our academic programs and student success initiatives.

Improving Efficiency and Effectiveness

To improve efficiency, Howard has implemented Faculty Success, an online system to streamline faculty activities, and adopted Workday, a key enterprise resource to enhance administrative, operational, and academic processes. Howard has also raised faculty pay by an average of 20% and established a 3% pay raise for staff.

We are investing $785 million in our real estate initiative, the largest in the University's history, which includes building new multidisciplinary academic halls and renovating existing structures.

Achieving Financial Sustainability

The University's 2030 campus master plan aims to expand enrollment to 15,000 students. We are on track to surpass our enrollment goals, breaking the 12,500 students mark in Fall 2022.

We have secured a total of $344 million in federal appropriations and our endowment has grown to $865.3 million, putting us on track to reach our goal of $1 billion by 2024.

Both Fitch and S&P Global agencies have revised their rating outlooks for Howard to "positive" from "stable," reflecting our commitment to maintaining fiscal stability.

As Howard continues to make significant strides under the Howard Forward strategic plan, the University remains committed to providing unparalleled opportunities for academic and professional growth to its students. We are immensely proud of our collective accomplishments and thank you for your unwavering support of our beloved University. Together, we will continue to build upon our legacy of excellence and Howard’s lasting impact on the lives of our students, our community, and the world.

For more information on the Howard Forward strategic plan and its measured outcomes, please visit https://strategicplan.howard.edu/.

Excellence in Truth and Service,

Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA
Charles R. Drew Professor of Surgery
President