Annual Report · 2025–2026

Year One
A YEAR OF MOMENTUM

Morehouse College is rising and establishing a foundation that will redefine what's possible for the next 160 years.

'26
Letter from the President: A Year in Review & A Look Ahead
August 10, 2026

To the Morehouse Community,

As we prepare to welcome new and returning students to campus, I have been reflecting on an extraordinary 2025-2026 year at Morehouse College and the momentum with which we begin a new academic year. My overwhelming sentiment is one of gratitude.

The accomplishments celebrated in this report belong to an entire community. They reflect the ambition of our students, the dedication of our faculty and staff, the commitment of our alumni, and the investment of partners and supporters who believe in the power and promise of Morehouse.

Our students continue to inspire us. They arrive at Morehouse with remarkable talent, determination, and aspiration, and they leave better prepared to lead lives of consequence. They challenge one another to pursue excellence, support one another through adversity, and remain committed to creating positive change in the communities they serve. Their success is both our purpose and our greatest source of pride.

Our faculty uphold the promise of a Morehouse education through their commitment to scholarship, mentorship, and student development. They maintain rigorous standards while preparing our graduates to excel in graduate programs, professions, and leadership roles around the world. Through their work, the distinctive value of a Morehouse education remains as strong as ever.

Our staff are the stewards of the Morehouse experience. Their dedication sustains the daily operations of the College and ensures that our students have the resources, guidance, and support needed to thrive. I am deeply grateful for their professionalism, care, and commitment to our mission.

And to our alumni: thank you for continuing to demonstrate what it means to be a Morehouse Man. Throughout the past year, you engaged, mentored, advocated, and invested in the institution that helped shape your lives. Your support culminated in the highest number of individual alumni contributions in Morehouse history, a powerful testament to the strength of our brotherhood and belief in our mission.

This report highlights many accomplishments worth celebrating. Among them are continued gains in student success and persistence, historic levels of alumni engagement, progress toward ambitious fundraising goals, significant investments in campus facilities and infrastructure, and bold steps toward positioning Morehouse as a national leader in artificial intelligence education and innovation. Collectively, these achievements reflect a College that is helping to shape the future.

My first year as president was defined by concerted listening, learning, and engagement. Those experiences only deepened my conviction that Morehouse occupies a singular place in higher education. Few institutions have had such an outsized impact on the nation and the world.

Morehouse represents less than one-tenth of one percent of America's college students, yet it continues to produce more Black male graduates annually than the nation's top 40 liberal arts colleges combined and more Black men who go on to earn Ph.D.s than any other institution in the country. Our alumni lead across every sector of society, from business and technology to education, public service, healthcare, entrepreneurship, and the arts. The influence of Morehouse far exceeds our size, and our responsibility is to build an institution that further amplifies that legacy and that is prepared for the future.

President F. DuBois Bowman in a charcoal suit and maroon Morehouse tie

As we begin the 2026-2027 academic year, we will focus our attention on developing a strategic framework that positions Morehouse for its next chapter. We will strengthen our academic enterprise, continue transforming the student experience, expand strategic partnerships, advance institutional excellence, and build the Morehouse of our highest aspirations, one prepared to lead in an increasingly AI-enabled world.

I can already see what is possible.

The accomplishments you will read about in the pages that follow are evidence that Morehouse is rising to new heights. They also remind us that we are only beginning to realize the full extent of our potential.

And to our newest brothers, the Class of 2030: welcome to The House.

Your Morehouse journey is about to begin. Soon, you will arrive for New Student Orientation, one of the most meaningful and cherished traditions in the life of our institution. It is an experience that has connected generations of Morehouse Men and one that you will remember for years to come.

Over the next four years, this institution will challenge you, support you, and help shape you into the leader the world needs. You will encounter demanding coursework, transformative experiences, lifelong friendships, and opportunities that will broaden your perspective and deepen your sense of purpose. Embrace it fully. Engage deeply. Show up with curiosity, courage, and an openness to grow.

You have made one of the best decisions of your life.

Welcome home.

As I close, I do so with profound gratitude for the trust, partnership, candor, and optimism that have marked my first year as president. If what we accomplished together in one year is any indication of what lies ahead, then I believe with confidence that the greatest chapters of the Morehouse story have yet to be written.

Warm regards,
F. DuBois Bowman ’92
13th President, Morehouse College
Read the year ↓
02 · Academic Excellence & Student Success

Developing principled,
prepared leaders.

Academic excellence is the foundation of the Morehouse experience. Guided by exceptional faculty and challenged by high expectations, our scholars are prepared to lead with confidence and purpose.

Expanding Capacity in Academic Affairs
In FY26, 41 new hires were added to the team, including 18 faculty and 23 staff.
210 Students Studied Abroad
Up 9% over last year — Argentina, Brazil, China, Japan, South Africa and more.
Faculty honorees on stage with President Bowman at Our House: A Celebration of Faculty Achievement
Our House: A Celebration of Faculty Achievement, 2026
Students participating in the 38th Annual Spring Tour to Argentina and Brazil
38th Annual Spring Tour — Argentina & Brazil
Principled Leadership in Action
Principled Leadership in Action
The presidential leadership speaker series brought nationally recognized leaders into conversation with the Morehouse community around principled leadership, service, and impact.
Oprah Winfrey Scholars 2026
Over $38.5M Invested in more than 1,900 Students from 200+ Scholarship & Award Programs in FY26

Major Scholarship & Award Programs Include:

  • Morehouse College Institutional Aid & Scholarships allocated over $19M in support to 1,675 students in FY26.
  • The Michael Lomax Student Success Scholarship funded 81 students' education, totaling over $3.8M.
  • Bonner Scholarship for Community Service served 62 students in financial support for a total of over $1.9M in aid.
  • In its first year, the Arthur Blank Graduation Gap Scholarship relieved 236 juniors and graduating seniors of year-end account balance burdens, leveraging a total over $1.48M in support.
  • The Oprah Winfrey Scholarship support 58 students across the College with more than $1.3M.
  • The UNCF Scholarship support 169 students with over $1.29M in aid.

Morehouse College Scholarships | Apply Today

Driving Innovation in Teaching and Learning Using AI

President's Hackathon
The inaugural Presidential Hackathon engaged 120+ students across 31 majors in 36 hours of building and problem-solving.
M.O.R.A.L. AI Conference
Morehouse convened scholars and industry leaders to help shape the responsible use of AI and its impact on Black communities.
Home to One of the Southeast's Most Powerful Academic Supercomputers
MOREHOUSE RECEIVED A NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION GRANT TO JOIN THE HISTORIC CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT, GIVING OUR STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND HBCUS NATIONWIDE UNPRECEDENTED ACCESS TO WORLD-CLASS COMPUTATIONAL POWER. $5M OF THE GRANT BEGINS CONSTRUCTION ON THE SITE HOUSING HORIZON, PART OF THE NSF LEADERSHIP-CLASS COMPUTING FACILITY.
Advancing Ethical, Impactful AI Use Across Education and Society
Partnered with Collage AI to expand opportunities for innovation, teaching, and workforce readiness in artificial intelligence. Through this collaboration, students gain exposure to emerging AI technologies while faculty explore new approaches to research, curriculum development, and real-world problem solving.
Faculty inspecting immersion-cooled compute nodes in a data center during a Horizon site visit
Horizon — NSF Leadership-Class Computing Facility
Partnership with Collage AI
Dr. Juana Mendenhall with Dan Braga of Morningside, a leading US-based venture capital firm
Teaming Up with Stanford, Purdue, and Emerald Cloud Lab to "AI-Power" the Next Generation of Scientists from Anywhere on Earth
Through GEMSTONE, a $20M NSF-funded initiative to build AI-run "programmable cloud laboratories," Morehouse has partnered to shape how the next generation learns to run self-driving science in analytical chemistry and pharmaceutical quality.
CollegeVine AI Recruiter Creates a More Accessible and Responsive Admissions Experience
The virtual recruiter engages prospective students 24/7, answering questions, connecting students to relevant resources, and helping guide them through key enrollment milestones.
NSF Grant
NSF Grant
CollegeVine AI Recruiter
CollegeVine AI Recruiter

Passing The Torch: Impactful Academic Leadership Transitions

A TITAN RETIRES AFTER 47 YEARS OF SERVICE

The Rev. Dr. Lawrence Edward Carter Sr. lead the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel as the founding dean, the steady conscience of Morehouse College, and one of the great keepers of Morehouse's moral, ethical, and spiritual tradition. He built the Chapel into a global pulpit, curated the African American Hall of Fame portrait gallery, and reminded generations of Morehouse Men of their ethical duties in. This year, we closed that chapter with a season of celebration befitting his legacy, drawing to campus an intergenerational gathering of divinity scholars, elected officials, alumni, and ministry leaders from across the country.

Incoming Academic Leaders

Across the divisions

Business & Economics

  • Scaling entrepreneurship — SENT Start-up Competition, with venture mentorship
  • Expanding opportunity pipelines — UPBI + Coca-Cola partnership

Humanities, Social Sciences, Media & Arts

  • Shaping public discourse — faculty in national media & scholarship
  • Advancing Black intellectual traditions — interdisciplinary research
  • Strengthening academic community — conferences & campus dialogues

Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics

  • Expanding research infrastructure — $457M project to build one of the most powerful academic supercomputers in the Southeast
  • Enhancing applied learning — faculty innovation & student engagement

Professional & Continuing Studies

  • Building educator pipelines — national convenings & partnerships
  • Leading workforce conversations — national engagement in education

Honoring Black Men in Leadership

During the 2026 Commencement Exercises, the College awarded honorary degrees to the following principled leaders:

Chris Paul
Chris Paul12-time NBA All-Star, two-time Olympian, philanthropist, and entrepreneur
Chris Womack, CEO of Southern Company
Chris WomackCEO of Southern CompanyChris Womack during Morehouse College’s 2026 Commencement celebration.
Rev. Dr. Lawrence Edward Carter Sr.
Rev. Dr. Lawrence Edward Carter Sr.Founding Dean of the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College

Persistence & Achievement on the Rise

It started with a New Student Orientation that went viral — showing the country how Morehouse welcomes its men into the brotherhood. Then persistence climbed in every single class year.

59%
6-year graduation rate
Consistent from 2018.
Graduates in caps and gowns linking arms on the Morehouse quadrangle at Commencement
Class of 2026 Commencement — 578 strong
Freshman → Sophomore
88%▲ +2
Sophomore → Junior
81%▲ +7
Junior → Senior
74%▲ +9

Supporting Student Well-Being

  • Free 24-hour counseling hotline launched with Crisis Textline
  • 600+ students served · 120 wellness programs delivered
  • $55,000+ distributed through the Student Emergency Assistance Fund

Gratitude to Our Student Leaders

  • 94th SGA — President Kenny Ugo & VP Jivonne Feliciano
  • Presidential Ambassadors — representing Morehouse with leadership, service, and distinction across campus and beyond
  • First-ever Mr. Morehouse: Jamarrea Anderson
  • Stoney McKnight crowned Miss National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame — Miss HBCU through Sept. 2026
  • Moot Court — Regional Champions, back to back

Service & the world beyond campus

  • Bonner Senior Scholars capstone trip to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic — building an athletic space for an orphanage
  • 38th Annual Spring Tour to Argentina & Brazil — 16 students, 2 faculty, 2 staff, at no cost

Recruiting the next class

  • Get On the Bus featured in the Journal of College Admission, Fall 2025
  • Get On the Plane: Morehouse Takes Los Angeles — 45 students reaching 400 high schoolers
  • Building Our House — 15 local schools, 400+ male students on campus
  • Back to My Roots: Morehouse Takes Houston — 38 students, 200+ high schoolers, City Hall citation
03 · Alumni Engagement & External Relations

Morehouse Men showed up
in record numbers.

$10,000,000+ Raised by 3,910 Alumni
In FY26 — the most alumni to give in a single year in the College's history
Highest Class Giving Rate:
Class of 2026
44% of the class has given to the College
2nd Highest Class Giving Rate:
Class of 1976
30% of the class has given to the College

50 years apart in their Morehouse journey, and both invested in Morehouse's sustained future.

Honoring Exemplary Achievement

The Inaugural Fifty Under Fifty Honors
The inaugural class celebrated 50 emerging alumni leaders and raised $80,000 in direct and planned gifts, strengthening their connection to Morehouse. Morehouse College announces inaugural 50 Under 50 class.
First Convening of The Society of Bennie & Candle Award Honorees
The first convening of The Society of Bennie & Candle Award honorees marked foundational steps in building toward an even brighter future of alumni leadership and engagement.
The 38th Annual "A Candle in the Dark" Gala
$4.2M raised in scholarships by 1,700 attendees, including $1.5M from corporate sponsors, with six world-class honorees recognized from across industries and sectors.
Fifty Under Fifty honorees gathered on stage with President Bowman
Inaugural Fifty Under Fifty Awards
Bennie and Candle Award honorees wearing medallions at The Society induction
The Society of Bennie & Candle Award Honorees
Honoree receiving an award on stage at the 38th Annual A Candle in the Dark Gala
38th Annual "A Candle in the Dark" Gala

Alumni Engagement Across the Country

Morehouse leaders connected with alumni in cities across the country throughout FY26.

04 · Athletic Excellence

A winning year.

Elijah Pickney, Morehouse Baseball
Elijah Pickney, Morehouse Baseball
Brad Sherrod, Head Football Coach
Brad Sherrod, Head Football Coach
Morehouse College golf team
Morehouse Golf Team — representing the College in a standout championship season.

More Athletic Highlights

05 · Men of Consequence

Morehouse Men Invested in the Future.

~$40M Raised in FY26
A year of extraordinary philanthropic momentum for Morehouse College.

Landmark Gifts

  • $16.5M — Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation
  • $1.33M — Morgan Stanley
  • $1M — Crawford siblings

    Drs. George I. Crawford Jr. ’96 and Marcus H. Crawford ’98, in partnership with their sister, Dr. Christine Crawford, have donated a generous $2 million gift to support the future of Morehouse College.

  • $1M — Kwame Manley & Monique McCloud-Manley

    Kwame Manley ’96 and Monique McCloud-Manley have donated $1 million to establish a new scholarship for juniors and seniors at Morehouse College.

  • $1.5M in corporate sponsorship at A Candle in the Dark

$370 Million and Climbing

Fundraising reached approximately $40M in FY2026 alone, pushing the Making Men of Consequence campaign toward three-quarters of its half-billion-dollar goal.

Total raised$373,884,505

$373.9M raised · 74.6%Goal · $500M
07 · Looking Ahead

Looking Ahead:
a Plan in Motion

Year One involved intentional listening. Year Two turns our collective input into a plan — and the plan into motion. Five themes now chart the course toward Morehouse’s 160th anniversary and beyond, each one a commitment with a measurable result attached, shaped in working sessions with faculty, staff, students, and alumni.

Strategic Plan Themes

Academic Excellence and Student Success

We are increasing persistence across every class year. While maintaining Morehouse's tradition of academic rigor and high expectations, we are strengthening the support systems that help students thrive and graduate. Morehouse remains the destination known for its exceptional talent, transformative preparation, and principled leadership.

Operational Excellence

We are building a more agile, effective, and service-oriented institution through streamlined processes, integrated systems, and data-informed decision-making. Operational excellence enables us to better serve students, faculty, staff, alumni, and partners.

Facilities and Infrastructure

From new student housing to critical campus improvements to the vision for a transformative campus center, we are investing in the spaces that support teaching, learning, community, and belonging. We are strengthening Morehouse's physical foundation for generations to come.

AI Integration and Innovation

Morehouse is embracing artificial intelligence as a catalyst for learning, leadership, and institutional effectiveness. Through academic programs, co-curricular experiences, administrative applications, policy development, and strategic partnerships, we are building a technology-enabled, future-ready Morehouse.

Fundraising and Philanthropic Capital

With the highest level of alumni giving in the College’s history and a campaign that has surpassed three-quarters of its goal, we are establishing the philanthropic foundation necessary to realize Morehouse's boldest ambitions. These investments fuel opportunity, innovation, and long-term institutional strength.

“The story of Morehouse is one of expanding access, unlocking talent, cultivating character, and preparing leaders to change the world. Though we represent less than one-tenth of one percent of America's college students, Morehouse produces more Black male graduates each year than the nation's top 40 liberal arts colleges combined and sends more Black men on to earn Ph.D.s than any other institution. That is the power of Morehouse, and why our impact continues to be felt across every sector of society.”
— Dr. F. DuBois Bowman '92, 13th President of Morehouse College
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Years strong in 2027 · Building for the Next 160