RELATED: Wilberforce University puts part of campus up for sale
The new center is a renovated space in the building that is close to completion, said Wilberforce president Herman Felton. The events held today, including the ribbon cutting, will “signify the beginning of our work in earnest,” Felton said.
Before the ribbon cutting, the university will host a discussion to talk about the role of historically black colleges and universities in re-imagining education, according to the school. Wilberforce University is the oldest private HBCU in the country.
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Following the noon ribbon cutting, Felton will lead a conversation with guests about HBCU’s and their role in doing social good.
The new center at Wilberforce University comes as the school has dealt with financial issues that resulted in a 20 percent pay cut for employees as well as layoffs, Felton said in May. In January, school officials also put 10 acres of campus up for sale for $7 million.
“The effort for Wilberforce to lead will come through the Dr. Mark and Shelly Wilson Center for Entrepreneurship, Social Good and Transformative Leadership,” Felton said in a prepared statement today.
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