JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Action News Jax explores the contributions and experiences of African Americans that continue to shape our community.
A powerful part of that story is unfolding at Edward Waters University, Florida’s first HBCU.
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From the newly renovated Milne Auditorium to expanded academic offerings, the university is experiencing what its president calls an era of “Emerging Eminence.”
Edward Waters was established in 1866 by the AME Church to educate newly emancipated African Americans after the Civil War. Empowering Black students remains central to its mission. In 2018, Dr. A. Zachary Faison Jr. took the helm as President and CEO.
Dr. Faison, Jr., a third-generation product of an HBCU, said the impact of these institutions cannot be overstated.
“Over 70% of Black teachers are products of an HBCU. Black judges, Black lawyers, Black news anchors are products of HBCUs,” Faison said.
RELATED: Edward Waters University reaffirmed for accreditation with no recommendations for improvement
Yet many HBCUs, including Edward Waters, have faced serious challenges over the years, including aging infrastructure, financial instability, chronic underfunding, and operational strain.
Before 2018, EWU had run operating deficits for about 10 consecutive years and had not introduced new academic degree programs in more than 20 years.
Under Faison’s execution of a multi-year strategic plan, the institution transitioned from college to university status and introduced 10 new academic degree programs. The university also unveiled a multimillion-dollar dining facility, renovated student residence halls, and built an on-campus stadium for the first time in its history.
In athletics, Edward Waters made a historic move by joining the SIAC conference and becoming members of the NCAA at the Division II level for the first time. The progress extends beyond facilities and athletics. Since 2018, the university has:
- Achieved a net cash surplus for the first time in more than a decade
- Launched the #WEGOTYOU student financial support program
- Recorded record-breaking enrollment
- Celebrated a historic commencement with 210 graduates, including the first-ever master’s degrees in cybersecurity and public administration
RELATED: Edward Waters University celebrates growth as student enrollment reaches 20-year high
Faison credits a campus-wide commitment to student success.
“We have a commitment amongst our faculty, our staff, and our university administration to meet students where they are, and then take them to places where they didn’t think that they could go and that really is the Edward Waters story,” Faison said.
In what may be one of the institution’s most significant milestones yet, the university recently received a full 10-year reaffirmation of accreditation with zero recommendations for improvement from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
RELATED: Leadership shakeups hit Edward Waters’ athletics department, athletics director resigns
Faison called it a testament to the “vitality and forward-moving trajectory” of the institution.
Looking ahead, the future of Edward Waters University, located in the heart of New Town, is centered on growth, opportunity, and community impact.
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“So goes Edward Waters, so goes this New Town community,” Faison said.
Since 2018, the university has invested nearly $40 million in campus upgrades, with more potentially on the horizon. Plans under consideration include a new student residence facility, a conference center, and a walking trail.
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Academically, the university is preparing students for a workforce shaped by emerging technologies and artificial intelligence.
“One of the things that we’re looking at now is how we can infuse AI certification in all of our courses, so that those students are prepared and know how to strategically utilize AI as they go out into the world of work,” Faison said.
The university is also exploring its first terminal degree program and expanding athletics, while engaging students, staff, alumni, trustees, and the broader community to shape its next chapter.
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Work on the university’s next 10-year strategic plan is underway, with plans to share it later this year.
As Edward Waters University builds on its historic foundation, Dr. Faison said the goal remains clear: to ensure its future is just as transformative as its past — for students, for Jacksonville, and for the country.
“If it were not for an Edward Waters, you would not have the Black middle class, the Black professional class that we have in Jacksonville, throughout the state and throughout our country. And that’s not dissimilar from the HBCU story everywhere,” Faison said.
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