Our History

The HBCU Collaborative Network (HBCU CN) was born out of a grassroots effort to address underage drinking on Historically Black College and University (HBCU) campuses. The journey began in 2018 when the Addiction Professionals of North Carolina (APNC) received a Partnerships for Success (PFS) grant. As part of this initiative, a special focus was placed on engaging HBCUs in substance use prevention.

In 2020, Nicole M. Augustine joined APNC as the Prevention Director and was charged with overseeing the HBCU prevention network. During this time, she designed and launched a student leadership internship program, which became the signature project of the initiative. The program began with four HBCUs and engaged 30 students, proving to be a remarkable success.

When the PFS grant cycle ended in June 2021, Nicole committed to sustaining the momentum, and with the support of APNC, the program officially transitioned to RIZE Consultants, Nicole’s organization, in August 2021.

To keep the internship program alive, RIZE secured its first independent funding through a COVID-19 relief grant and RIZE established HBCU CN as a fully independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in late 2021.

Since then, the organization has continued to grow, securing additional grants, including the "Talk it Out" grant in 2023–2024, which allowed the internship program to expand and serve even more students.

Beyond program development, the organization also built its visual identity from the ground up. After the transition to being its own 501(c)3, HBCU CN worked with two talented designers—and the final brand emerged from a creative process where community members voted on design options, leading to a unique blend of both designers' visions. The result is the vibrant brand identity the HBCU Collaborative Network proudly uses today.

What started as a grant deliverable has grown into a sustainable, student-centered organization with a strong commitment to leadership development, prevention education, and community impact at HBCUs across the country.