(Akiit.com) An organization called Historically Black Colleges and Universities Connect is launching a multi-institution alumni magazine targeting the more than 400,000 graduates, faculty and current students of America’s historically black schools. The new title, HBCU Connect The Magazine, is the latest brand extension for the organization, which already hosts experiential events, online social networking, blogs, job boards and various related services.
Alumni magazines have been widely embraced by institutions of higher education as a way to maintain links with alumni. There are many reasons to stay in touch with graduates–fund-raising among them–but HBCU is unique. Unlike other publications that focus on one school, HBCU leverages the entire network of historically black colleges for readership. In short, it downplays the internecine rivalries that are stock in trade for other university mags. HBCU Connect is available by subscription; 12 issues run $17.99.
And “network” is the operative word.
HBCU spokeswoman Joyce Brayboy described it as a “platform to highlight our success, get us much-needed job opportunities, educational funding and a connection with other people that we may need along the journey.” The magazine will also feature HBCU successes, issues on- and off-campus that are relevant to the HBCU community, HBCU alumni event coverage–and, adds Brayboy, “hard-hitting controversial subjects at the forefront of the community members’ thoughts.”
By Erik Sass