Fayetteville State University is giving a well deserved congratulations to one of their alumni and Southern Pines native Olivia Boyd after Boyd was named a 2023 HBCU Scholar by the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. 

According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Education, the Initiative is recognizing its ninth cohort of HBCU Scholars, recognizing 102 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students from 29 different states and countries for their accomplishments in academics, leadership, civic engagement and much more. The 2023 HBCU scholars are the largest cohort since the inception of this recognition program in 2014 and represent a record number of institutions, with the HBCU participation rate now over 70 percent.

Currently enrolled at 70 of our nation’s HBCUs, Boyd and this group of HBCU Scholars were selected from a competitive pool of over 300 applicants. Over the course of an academic school year, HBCU Scholars will serve as ambassadors of the White House Initiative on HBCUs, the U.S. Department of Education, and their respective HBCU.

“Our 2023 HBCU Scholars are talented students who embody the culture of excellence and inclusion championed by our nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona in a press release. “On behalf of the U.S. Department of Education and everyone across the Biden-Harris Administration, I congratulate each of our 2023 HBCU scholars on this prestigious recognition and thank them for their commitment to serving their communities. I’m thrilled to see the HBCU Scholars program continue to expand its reach and provide such exciting professional development, networking, and educational opportunities to some of our nation’s brightest and most promising young leaders.”

FSU offered Boyd a congratulations with a LinkedIn post reading in part: 

“We're sending a big congratulations and BRONCO PRIDE to Olivia Boyd who was recently selected as one of the 2023 The White House HBCU Scholars!

Over 300 students vied for the prestigious title which includes networking opportunities, a partnership with NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration to commercialize technology that can improve their campus and an ambassadorship during the National HBCU Conference. According to the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence and Economic Opportunity, “students in this program are encouraged to lift their communities, unite others around student success, work to strengthen our democracy, and grow our economy.”

HBCU Scholars will also be invited to the 2023 HBCU Week National Annual Conference, which will be held on Sept. 24-28, 2023, at the Hyatt Regency in Crystal City, Virginia. This year’s conference themes are, “Raising the Bar: Forging Excellence Through Innovation & Leadership.” During the conference, HBCU Scholars will participate in conference sessions designed to engage a spirit of innovation, leadership, and personal and professional development.