Clark Atlanta University President Among AUC Consortium Inc., Leaders Make Case for Investing in HBCUs to Meet Workforce Demands

12/06/2018

Clark Atlanta University President Ronald A. Johnson provides compelling insights on how a strong American workforce needs the creativity and brain trust developed by historically Black colleges and universities

ATLANTA, GA – December 6, 2018 -- In a new Federal Reserve System-led book, Investing in America's Workforce: Improving Outcomes for Workers and Employers, Clark Atlanta University (CAU) President Ronald A. Johnson, Ph. D. provides strong evidence about the importance and relevance of HBCUs in the workforce development process. From pipeline to career, Johnson argues that HBCUs are uniquely situated to respond to employer needs and to prepare graduates for long-term success.

Johnson's essay, “Pipelines for Diversified Intellect, Creativity and Innovation” not only details the historic contribution of HBCUs in creating strong leaders across corporate America and in other employment contexts; he also cites evidence of how HBCU graduates perform better in the labor market where they have been uniquely prepared with high levels of skills and confidence.

“In order to remain relevant in the global economy, HBCUs must have the resources to pursue inclusive competitiveness, preparing our students to lead by giving them the tools to execute bold ideas and solutions,” said Ronald A. Johnson, president of Clark Atlanta University.
“The legacy of HBCUs such as Clark Atlanta University can evolve to foster innovation, to produce the next generation of job creators.”

Johnson’s essay appears in volume one along other essays from other AUC leaders, including

• “Promoting the Health of Communities for Long-Term Benefits” by Valerie Montgomery Rice, President and Dean, Morehouse School of Medicine, joined by Morehouse School of Medicine Vice President David Hefner
• "The Critical Role of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Workforce Development" by Atlanta University Center Consortium Executive Director Todd Greene
• “Assessing Infrastructural Health: Optimizing Return on Investment in HBCUs,” by former Morehouse College President John Silvanus Wilson

"Investing in America's Workforce," a nearly 1,100-page collaborative book, brings together more than 100 national thought leaders and subject-expert authors and editors to explore the systemic barriers to employment and the strategies and investments to help overcome those barriers.

The three-volume call-to-action is the result of a two-and-a-half-year collaboration between the Federal Reserve System, the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University, the Ray Marshall Center at the University of Texas at Austin, and the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. The book offers approaches for improving the human capital of America's labor force, expanding access to jobs, and innovating workforce development funding.

"Investing in America's Workforce: Improving Outcomes for Workers and Employers," can be downloaded from www.investinwork.org/book , or request a hard copy by emailing Ashley Bozarth at Ashley.Bozarth@atl.frb.org.

About the Atlanta University Center Consortium, Inc.

The Atlanta University Center Consortium Inc., located in the heart of metropolitan Atlanta, is the world's oldest and largest contiguous consortia of African American private institutions of higher education. Originally formed in 1929, the Consortium is a nonprofit organization that operates on behalf of its member institutions: Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine and Spelman College.

With very humble beginnings, established at various times in history, primarily to educate newly freed slaves at the end of the Civil War through the Reconstruction era, each member institution has a distinguished legacy of excellence in teaching, scholarship and service. Today, enrolling more than 10,000 students collectively each year, one common goal continues to bind the Consortium members together; to provide the finest undergraduate, graduate and professional training possible to its students.

About Clark Atlanta University

Established in 1988 by the consolidation of Atlanta University (1865) and Clark College (1869), Clark Atlanta University (CAU) is one of the Nation’s foremost research institutions, offering students from around the United States and several foreign countries the opportunity to engage in 38 exciting areas of study at bachelors, masters and doctoral levels. Located in the historic heart of Atlanta, one of the world's great international cities, CAU’s nearly 4,000 students enjoy access academic and co-curricular experiences, from forensic debate, to on-air broadcasting, to cancer research with world-renowned investigators. From the arts to zoology, CAU combines nearly 300 years of tradition with a solid focus on academic excellence to produce leaders who will shape the future of the global community. Visit www.cau.edu to learn more about Clark Atlanta University.