Huston-Tillotson University, a private, historically black university in Austin, Texas, announced an ambitious effort to expand its reach by opening a branch campus in California. This strategic move is intended to significantly enhance access for West Coast students seeking the unique educational environments offered by HBCUs. As part of this expansion, Huston-Tillotson also aims to strengthen the talent pipeline into Texas.
Chancellor Melva Wallace announced plans to obtain the necessary approvals from California authorities to establish a physical campus by August 2025. Meanwhile, the university received permission to begin offering distance learning to prospective students in California as early as January. This innovative approach has enabled Huston-Tillotson University to begin engaging with students and providing access to quality education while laying the foundation for a new campus.
cover new territory
While Texas has 10 HBCUs, California currently lacks one, and Huston-Tillotson will establish the state’s first HBCU. President Wallace emphasized the importance of this initiative, saying, “If it’s working well for businesses and the workforce, we can increase the workforce pipeline by training more California students to enter the workforce here.” Why not take the lead in building it?” Wallace asked.
To facilitate this groundbreaking expansion, Huston-Tillotson partnered with the San Diego Unified School District and the National University Resources Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing higher education completion rates for underrepresented groups. Signed an important partnership. Wallace shared that the partnership began when NCRF approached Huston-Tillotson with the intent of increasing opportunities for California students.
As the university embarks on this exciting journey, Huston-Tillotson officials are actively searching for a suitable location for a new campus. Houston-Tillotson will initially offer a bachelor’s degree in business administration and an associate’s degree in liberal arts at its California branch. Depending on the space selected for the campus, the university will determine the specific number of students it can accommodate.
“There is a long list of things that could go wrong than Interstate 35, but we are focused on all the ways we can make this happen for kids who want to attend HBCUs but don’t have access. I’m guessing,” Wallace said.
