Webinar: Revitalizing HBCU campuses: Innovative strategies to address sustainable infrastructure Challenges
October 16 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm EDT
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) play a vital role in providing accessible and equitable higher education opportunities, particularly for underrepresented minority students. However, many HBCUs face significant challenges in maintaining sustainable infrastructure and addressing deferred maintenance due to persistent fiscal constraints.
This panel session will explore the unique obstacles that HBCUs encounter in preserving aging facilities, upgrading critical systems, and implementing energy-efficient renovations. Panelists will discuss how limited budgets, aging building stock, and competing institutional priorities contribute to the accumulation of deferred maintenance backlogs, hindering the delivery of safe, functional, and modern learning environments.
Furthermore, the panel will examine how the application of agile “sprint” methodologies can provide a framework for HBCUs to tackle infrastructure challenges more effectively. Panelists will share case studies and best practices on leveraging rapid, iterative planning and execution cycles to prioritize projects, allocate resources strategically, and achieve measurable progress within constrained timelines and budgets.
By fostering a dialogue around these complex issues, the session aims to equip HBCU leaders, facilities managers, and policymakers with innovative strategies to address sustainable infrastructure needs and overcome fiscal barriers. Ultimately, the panel will explore how HBCUs can harness the power of sprint methodologies to enhance campus environments, improve student experiences, and fulfill their vital mission of providing high-quality, accessible higher education.
Presenters
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Darryl Ann Lai Fang, Senior Director, Transformation Support, UNCF-Institute for Capacity Building Darryl Ann Lai Fang is the Senior Director of Transformation Support at the UNCF-Institute for Capacity Building (UNCF-ICB). In this role, she leads a team dedicated to providing strategic advisory services and capacity-building support to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the United States. With over 15 years of experience in non-profit management, Darryl Ann has a proven track record of helping HBCU leaders implement transformative initiatives that drive institutional advancement and student success. Additionally, Darryl Ann aids HBCUs with innovative approaches to academic program development, campus infrastructure improvements, and community engagement. Darryl Ann is a passionate advocate for equity in higher education and is deeply committed to empowering HBCUs to fulfill their vital mission. Darryl Ann is a U.S. Air Force veteran who served in Desert Shield and Desert Storm. She leverages the discipline, hard work and attention to detail that she learned in the military to propel higher education institutions toward transformational change. Darryl Ann earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix, a Master of Science degree in Human Resource Management from Nova Southeastern University and is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Ministry from the Interdenominational Theological Center, a UNCF member institution. Darryl Ann’s expertise, strategic vision, and collaborative approach make her a valuable asset to the UNCF-ICB team and the HBCU community at large. |
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Dr. Catherine Binuya, Senior Program Manager, UNCF-Institute for Capacity Building Dr. Catherine Binuya’s role at the Institute for Capacity Building allows her to contribute to strategic planning, support institutional partners, assist with program manager supervision, and collaborate across teams to bolster the success of the UNCF community. Catherine was born in the Philippines, grew up in South Carolina, and moved to Georgia for graduate school. Prior to joining ICB, she spent 20 years working across multi-disciplinary fields in higher education to build online educational programs, policies, protocols, operations and institutional student services–all with a central focus on expanding equity of educational access and helping institutions achieve scalable success through building and improving effective, efficient systems. Catherine has a bachelor of science in biology, a bachelor of arts in psychology, a master’s degree in community counseling and a doctorate of education in student affairs leadership. She is a member of the Project Management Institute-Atlanta Chapter and currently serves as the forum summary writer for the PMI-Atlanta Architectural, Engineering & Construction Special Interests Group. |