What’s Next, Starts Now
For 31 years, the Society of Black Alumni has brought Black Hilltoppers together to celebrate our history, support students, and invest in the future of our community.
August is Black Philanthropy Month, and we’re proud to share an important milestone: The Society is now officially recognized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
But we know that comes with questions.
We Chose to Build Something That Could Stand on its Own.
Over the past 11 months, The Society has been navigating the impact and implementation of House Bill 4, which required institutions across the state of Kentucky to eliminate their financial and operational support for initiatives related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
For The Society, that meant WKU could no longer operationally support the board as it had in the past. The Board was faced with a choice: change the way we operate or risk losing the organization completely—along with the 31 years of hard work by Black Hilltoppers.
We chose to build something that could stand on its own
After careful consideration, the Board made the decision to become an independent nonprofit organization so that we could continue serving Black alumni and students, and continue to create a sustainable future for the organization.
And we’re proud to say: we’re still here.
We’ve been working behind the scenes to build the infrastructure necessary to move The Society forward.
What Does Becoming a 501c3 Mean For the Society?
It means The Society now has a stronger foundation to create and support initiatives that expand scholarship opportunities, develop meaningful programs, engage corporate and community partners, and grow alumni giving to directly support the students and alumni we serve.
Our commitment to scholarships has not changed.
We still have our endowed scholarship fund, which continues to award almost $10,000 each year to students! And as an independent nonprofit, we’re looking forward to building on that foundation and expanding our ability to provide scholarship support in the years ahead.
Our commitment to programming and alumni engagement hasn’t changed either.
We are proud to have partnered with the Black Student Alliance to revive and continue the tradition formerly known to many as Outstanding Black Grads—which now goes by the name: Cultural Achievement Ceremony. This signature program was one of the many programs and organizations like our own that were impacted by HB4, and our new nonprofit structure gives us an opportunity to help ensure that this tradition continues for future Black Hilltoppers and those who love them.
And the Cultural Achievement Ceremony is just one example. We’ll continue to expand our ways to connect alumni and students through mentorship, professional development, scholarship programming, and opportunities for alumni to share their knowledge, experiences, and networks with the next generation.
Homecoming Weekend 2026
Yes—we’ll see you at homecoming.
Homecoming weekend is Friday, November 13 – Saturday, November 14 and The Society will be there. We’ll continue to support the vibes at tailgating, cheer on our Hilltoppers as they face off against Jacksonville State at 2:30 p.m., and along with a full weekend of great events, we’ll keep Black alumni tradition alive with The Main Event, our official homecoming party.
We Need You — We Need Our Entire Community
During Black Philanthropy Month, we’re inviting alumni, friends, and supporters to help us celebrate 31 years of the Society with a gift of $31—one dollar for every year we’ve been investing in our community. Your gift will continue the life and longevity of our scholarships, programs, and student and alumni engagement. And giving is just one way to be part of what’s next.
Whether you’ve been with us since 1995 or you’re just finding your way back to The Society, there is a place for you in what’s next. We know there are still questions. We know there’s more to tell about how we got here, why decisions were made, and what this next chapter will look like.
And we’ll be sharing more. But today, we want you to know this: We’re still here. We’re still serving. We’re still building. And we’re excited about what’s next.
Celebrate tradition. Embrace the present. Influence the future. The Society’s next chapter starts now. We hope you’ll be a part of it.
