UNCF Announces Amanda Seales and Eric Bellinger as Digital Ambassadors in HBCU Signing Day Campaign

UNCF (United Negro College Fund) today launched their month-long initiative, “HBCU Bound,” in celebration of high school graduates heading to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in conjunction with former First Lady Michelle Obama’s “College Signing Day” campaign.

“HBCU Bound” is a nationwide student advocacy and recruitment initiative in collaboration with UNCF’s National Alumni Council (NAC) to support students committing to attend HBCUs including UNCF’s 37 member institutions. The highly celebrated campaign has partnered with several visionary Black luminaries and change agents who are advocating for equitable education and utilizing their platform to advance educational enrichment.

“I am honored to serve as a digital ambassador for the HBCU Bound campaign. As a HBCU alumni, I am committed to helping champion the next generation of leaders at HBCUs across the country. In order to take the first step towards change, we must do so together,” said actor Lance Gross. “I am confident that this campaign will provide an opportunity for a timely conversation on how communities, stakeholders and organizations can engage, and use this platform as fuel to build a better tomorrow for the next generation of leaders.”

The star-studded list of digital ambassadors includes; NAACP® Image Award nominated actress and comedian Amanda Seales (HBO’s “Insecure”), Grammy Award-winning singer, Anthony Hamilton, Actor Lance Gross (Fox’s “Our Kind of People”), Executive Producer for CBS’ “The Neighborhood,” Meg DeLoatch, (first Black woman to serve as showrunner on a comedy in the network’s 94-year history), Grammy-winning R&B artist Eric Bellinger, Actor Niel Brown Jr. (HBO’s “,” CBS’s “SWAT”), Actor Marcel Spears (CBS’s “The Neighborhood”), Johnell Young (Hulu’s “Wu-Tang: An American Saga”), and more.

This initiative is a major component of UNCF’s HBCU Effect which seeks to understand, validate and promote the success of HBCUs to develop a counter narrative that fully demonstrates the value and competitiveness of our institutions.

Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s College Signing Day campaign celebrates all students committed to pursuing an education past high school and inspires them to own their future.

Most recently UNCF partnered with Kevin Frazier, co-host of Entertainment Tonight (ET!) and the founder and owner of the urban entertainment website HipHollywood.com to Help Raise Funds for HBCUs. In a promotional taped message, Frazier underscored the importance of UNCF’s work, stating “For more than 77 years, UNCF has worked tirelessly to ensure that HBCUs have the resources they require, but our work is not done. As we look to the future, we need to double down our efforts.”

“HBCU Bound aligns perfectly with the former First Lady’s campaign as we recognize this special moment in time to celebrate high school seniors’ accomplishments and the decision to further their education,” said Anthony H. Brown, president, National Alumni Council, UNCF. “NAC believes it is paramount that alumni and supporters rally together to encourage these college bound students.”

“College decision day is the biggest day in the lives of graduating high school seniors. UNCF is proud to join in the celebration,” said Maurice E. Jenkins, executive president, development, UNCF. “We applaud former First Lady Michelle Obama for her passionate support of these students on their special day.”

We urge advocates to join us this signing day to help welcome the next generation of students.