A new collaboration seeks to boost student pathways into healthcare and IT careers.

eHBCU

The first digital HBCU consortium in the U.S., eHBCU, was launched in July to ensure Black learners could obtain degrees, certifications, and mentorship, as well as expand their access to career pipelines, according to information shared with AFROTECH™.

It launched with a coalition of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), including Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design, Delaware State University, Southern University and A&M College (Baton Rouge, LA), Southern University at New Orleans, Southern University at Shreveport (LA), and Alabama State University.

As AFROTECH™ previously reported, eHBCU launched with 10 undergraduate degrees, 13 graduate degrees, and 35 certification programs created with “employer input,” per a press release, to ensure students are equipped for the workforce. Areas of learning include criminal justice administration, psychology, health information management systems (as undergraduate degrees); rehabilitation counseling, science and applied technology, business administration (as graduate degrees); Adobe InDesign, Blender 3D Design, Cannabis Healthcare & Medicine (as certification programs); and more.

“What we want to do on the HBCU platform is provide relevant education to help them understand that you can be more than just a consumer. You can be a business. But then also leverage that education through relevant topics,” Dr. D’Wayne Edwards, founder of Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design, said during a panel discussion held this summer at the 2025 Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans.

Partnering With MedCerts

According to a press release shared with AFROTECH™, eHBCU is expanding learner opportunities through its partnership with MedCerts. This online career training school has helped more than 100,000 students secure roles in health care, IT, and other growing sectors.

The partnership will add MedCerts certifications to eHBCU’s portal, resulting in one of its “first major expansions into workforce training.” It will also offer events featuring leaders, HBCU alums, and joint impact reports.

“This partnership with MedCerts is about removing barriers to education,” Terry Jeffries, executive director of eHBCU, said in the news release. “We’re giving students the chance to train for high-demand careers online, while still experiencing the culture and community that make HBCUs so unique.”

Jennifer Kolb, vice president of partnerships and workforce development at MedCerts, commented:

“Too many students have the drive but not the access. Our work with eHBCU changes that — giving learners a clear, affordable path into today’s workforce.”